


To Seek a Seeker

by espioc



Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: I don't know, Medieval AU, Scandal, Transformer Sparklings, courting, hands on hunting, possible mech preg, possible sticky sexual interfacing, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2018-10-19
Packaged: 2018-12-12 15:41:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 41,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11740101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/espioc/pseuds/espioc
Summary: Starscream is selected by his clan to take the hand of a suitor from one of the neighboring clans. The three suitors fight for his affections, but Starscream's eye has caught another.





	1. The Proposal

**Author's Note:**

> Why do I do this to myself.
> 
> Please enjoy this story, as I enjoy writing it.

To say this was on the bottom of Starscream’s to-do list would be an understatement. It wasn’t on the list at all, nor did he ever imagine it would make it on there. The seeker’s mind had wandered off long ago, somewhere in the beginning of his chief’s speech on why he must do this and how it’s oh-so’ important to the clan. Why was it important again? **  
**

For a moment Starscream phased in to listen, before immediately losing interest and phasing back out. That’s right, Megatron thought it would be a good idea to unite the clans. At least some of them anyways, and everyone could stand to have a few more fliers. It was a dumb notion, one Starscream had scoffed at when originally proposed. Even if he did find a suitable mate, which he wouldn’t, there was no guarantee they’d produce any bitlits. Plus considering only one of the possible intended actually posses flight capabilities there’s no guarantee that, if they did have sparklings, any of them could fly.

Megatron, though, had apparently spoken to Hook, and the healer assured them that Seeker coding was dominant, and often determined the frame of the sparkling.

“Are you even listening?” Megatrons rough voice pulled Starscream from his trance.

Starscream’s attention snapped away from his hand. “What?”

Megatron heaved an exasperated sigh, pinching the rim of his brow. “You haven’t listened to a word I’ve said have you?”

“I have…somewhat. I just don’t understand why this is taking so many words.”

Megatron was visibly trying to keep his composure. “I am going to make this very simple,” he started testily. “You are going to choose one of the courting mechs from the other clans. With him you will produce for us strong, healthy, bitlits, and with the bond we will create a strong healthy clan. Is that simple enough for you?”

“Certainly, chief. I simply don’t understand why you’ve selected me, of everyone.”

“Despite your vanity, Starscream, you are the most desired mech within our territory, for several reasons. You are quite attractive, you are a gifted flyer, you were blessed with wings at all. To mate you within our clan would be a waste, when we can use this opportunity to grow and strengthen ourselves.”

Starscream leaned back slightly so he was leaning on his hands. “Wouldn’t it be better if our chief were to mate? I was always under the impression that the merging of clans was the exception to your celibacy.”

“It is, but I have no desire to choose a mate. I believe one of their chiefs, however, has shown some interest in seeking your hand. You should be honored.”

Starscream had no desire to choose a mate either, but of course he just had to do what their chief said didn’t he? It was interesting, hearing one of the other leaders sought his hand. It almost made it worth it.

Then again Starscream still wasn’t keen on the idea of being heavy with bitlits any time in the near future. And he would be, if his intended had anything to say about it. Megatron had already deemed Starscream a Carrier, so trying to impregnate his soon to be mate would be entirely out of the question.

“You’re lucky, Starscream, I was originally going to make this bonding strictly political, but I thought you would prefer if I let you choose.”

Starscream nearly smirked. “How generous of you, my leader.”

Megatron began to stand, prompting Starscream to follow. “Come. Your suitors will be arriving any moment now.”

Starscream perked with surprise. “They’re coming here? Already?”

“Of course. What did you expect. I would like to get this over with as soon as possible.”

Starscream scurried to catch his leader before he went out the door, grabbing him lightly by the shoulder. “I don’t know how to be courted.” he admitted quickly. “What am I supposed to do?”

Megatron gave him a hard gaze. “Maybe you should have been listening,” his features lightened. “It is quite simple, Starscream, merely accept their gifts and their fawning, spend days with them. If you so desire invite them to join you in your berth, and, when you’ve made your decision, it will be publically announced and the will witness you and your new mate christening a united hut.”

Starscream nearly grimaced. “Oh is that all, “ he grumbled.

“Now come, you can’t be late to your own proposal. They will be arriving soon.”

Starscream emitted a small noise that could only be interpreted as a whine. There were very few things Starscream wasn’t prepared for, but this fell on that short list. In front of everyone he would be proposed to by three mechs, all of higher stature than himself, but probably not nearly as attractive. Starscream took in a deep vent and let it out much too quick. It did nothing to calm his nerves. With only three mechs to choose from he hoped his options were at least decent. They’d be following him around like turbo-foxes at any rate, he hoped they were at least civil.

Starscream stepped from the tent. It seemed to be happening quicker than anticipated. The whole clan was gathered about the community area, anxiously awaiting the arrival of their guests. Every suitor was to arrive with two other mechs, like watchman making sure they kept their eyes on the intended, and not let their gaze wonder, as well as provide the means through which to deliver gifts and allow privacy.

The Chief was first to arrive. Starscream stood beside his chief obediently, waiting to be addressed. The mech in question was called Optimus Prime. First he greeted Megatron and introduced his hand mech’s as Jazz and Prowl, both standing stoic and obedient at their leader’s side. Judging by their frames Starscream deduced that they were a more war and travel based clan, people who moved around a lot and were ready for battle whenever the time may come. Similar to Starscream’s own.

Optimus Prime then greeted the hand he was trying to win, retracting his face mask and kneeling before Starscream to deliver his hand a kiss. “Starscream,” he greeted gently. “Be assured I will do everything in my power to win this hand, if you will have me.”

Starscream smirked slightly. He liked seeing this bot on his knees, another chief, rivaling Megatron in everything from size to leadership, delivering to his hand a kiss and a promise to try his best. This might be more enjoyable than Starscream thought. A second later he was pulled from his thoughts from a little nudge, turning his attention to Megatron. “Accept,” the leader whispered.

“What?” Starscream said absently. “Oh! Right right,” he grumbled, looking back to Optimus. “I accept your proposal.”

Then the large truck stood and took his place in the line up.

Next to arrive were a pair of ground vehicles, soon joined by a very large shuttle framed bot.

Large. Very large. Huge, actually. Surpassing both Megatron and Optimus in pure height and most likely strength as well. Judging by their colors and markings Starscream could assume that they came from a clan of healers and alchemists. It would greatly aid them to join with a clan such as Starscream’s. Healer’s were not known for their tendencies to be prepared for war. It was likely their leader had selected the largest frame as an offering, promising strong, brilliant soldiers.

Starscream did not want to be the one carrying the bitlits for this one. Apparently his name was Skyfire, and he was traveling with Ratchet and Wheeljack. To Megatron he presented a gift, thanking him for the opportunity to court another winged mech and expand their territory throughout the sky.  Starscream could tell it was something he’d been trained to say.

The big guy almost seemed nervous, but managed a stoic expression for the most part.

After addressing Megatron he came to stand before Starscream, though seemed unsure of what to do.

A sharp ‘pst’ came from behind him, drawing his attention. It came from the one Starscream believed was named Wheeljack. “Yer supposed to kneel, big guy,” he whispered. Skyfire seemed momentarily confused before perking to attention with an ‘oh’ and taking a knee before the intended. “Uh,” he stuttered, then clearing his intakes. “Starscream, I wish for a chance at your hand, if you will have me,” he said, presenting his hand. It came out smoother than Starscream was expecting.

“I will have you,” Starscream recited, placing his hand in the much larger one. Skyfire delivered to it a kiss before standing and taking his place in line.

Then came the third suitor.

The arrival was certainly…unexpected.

They first arrived as beasts, before transforming into their bipedal modes. Instead of three, though, there were five, all of which possessed a secondary mode of some sort of beast. Starscream nearly smirked thinking about…certain things. Megatron nudged him with his elbow.

They introduced themselves as the Dynobots, the leader, who called himself Grimlock, bluntly greeted Megatron and acknowledged the opportunity to join their clans. Grimlock was also quite large, more on par with Skyfire, possibly even larger. Starscream couldn’t help but let the less than desireable thoughts of carrying bitlits for such a large frame pass his processor.

Grimlock was certainly more brutish than the other two, speaking bluntly and with very few words. It didn’t seem as though he had a great understanding of their language.

Like the others, though, Grimlock took a knee and bowed his head, though in one hand he held a glowing sword, which dug into the ground. “Me, Grimlock, wish to fight for Starscream’s hand,” he said, probably in the most gentle tone he could muster. “If you will have me,” he presented his hand.

“I will have you,” Starscream agreed as if on command, putting his hand in the much larger. Not having a mouth Grimlock did not deliver it a kiss, but bowed it to his head before standing and taking his place in line.

Megatron smiled when everyone was settled. “Suitors,” he addressed. “We thank you for taking our offer. Now we will proceed with  a great celebration, marking the beginning of the courting,” he announced in that great booming voice of his. “Please get settled in while the celebration is being prepared. The brothers of your possible intended will show you to your huts.”

Skyward, Thundercracker and Sunstrom emerged from the crowd to guide their guests to where they’d be staying. It was on the complete opposite end of the village from Starscream, though the seeker assumed Megatron had plans to change that.

“Now,” Megatron started as everyone dissipated. “That wasn’t so bad was it?” he smirked.

Starscream scowled up at his leader. “I bet you think you’re funny,”

Megatron looked down at the intended. “Why, of course I do, dear Starscream.”

After a moment Starscream smirked himself, shrugging a shoulder. “Well,” he mumbled. “At least they’re all handsome.”


	2. The Celebration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the idea of petro-rabbit eggs comes from Ladydragon76 and NK(NKfloofiepoof)

As soon as they were shown to their hut all but Ratchet eased with the relief of being away.

Skyfire covered his face with his hands. “I messed up,” he grumbled into his palms. “I had to do _one thing_ and I forgot it.”

“Aw, don’t beat yourself up,” Wheeljack waved at his worry, taking a seat on one of the cots. “Did you see his face when you showed up? I’m sure he’s just as clueless as you are.”

Skyfire sat with a slump on the largest of the cots. “Why did I agree to do this?” he sighed.

Ratchet tapped him on the head. “If you remember correctly you didn’t ,” he crossed his arms. “You were ordered, just like us. Cyclonus thought you’d be the most suited to mate with the intended.”

“I know that,” Skyfire grumbled. A second later he wore a quizzical look. “I wonder if everyone else volunteered.”

Wheeljack sat up from where he was lying down. “I would assume as much, considering Optimus Prime, of all bots, is here. And that Grim guy don’t look like he’s takin’ orders from anyone.”

“I honestly can’t believe a Chief volunteered for the position,” Ratchet mumbled. “Optimus must be desperate to marry into another clan. I wonder why.”

Wheeljack waved him off, “You think too much. Maybe the big guy just saw him once.”

Ratchet’s brow furrowed. “Who? Starscream?” he huffed, “he’s not _that_ attractive.”

“Yeah, sure, you just keep tellin’ yourself that,” Wheeljack fell back into the cot, letting himself be comfortable while his companions worried. If he was going to be the suitor’s courter he was going to revel in all the comforts he could.

Ratchet scoffed, “You don’t worry enough,” he nearly snapped. “You are the courter, the messenger, he who coerces the intended.”

Wheeljack reluctantly sat up and pointed a sharp finger at his companion, “and you’re the sparkling-sitter. Now that that’s been established, what’s your point?”

Ratchet approached his calm partner. “The point is you should be the _most_ worried, out of all of us. You really think it’ll be that hard to keep Skyfire’s gaze away from other bots?” he poked a finger in Wheeljack’s chest, “you’re the one who has to deal with the intended. Learn what he likes, what he hates, ease him towards our suitor.”

“I know that,” Wheeljack snapped back, “that doesn’t mean I have to over stress myself. I think you two should take a outta my book, Skyfire especially. How is he supposed to impress the guy if he can barely speak?”

Ratchet eased. It was a serious situation they found themselves in. They weren’t as familiar with Megatron’s clan as they were with others, it was surprising they were invited to participate in the courting at all. The only reason Ratchet could fathom was that they needed healers or alchemists. Any other circumstance didn’t line up.

Skyfire fell back onto his cot. “Call me when the celebration starts,” he grumbled, offlining his optics.

“Oh no no,” Ratchet started, stepping back over to his berth. “We need to go over the rules.”

Skyfire huffed an exasperated sigh. “Again?”

“Yes, again, now--”

 

* * *

 

“You and the intended are not to be alone without _me_ . If you need privacy I can give it to you, but I will be _right outside the hut at all times_.”

Optimus couldn’t help but smile at his handler as he paced back and forth spouting off the rules for the fifth time that cycle.

“Furthermore, it is _everyone’s_ job to make sure the intended isn’t alone with _anyone else_ . So if you see him alone with anyone who _isn’t_ you, Skyfire or Grimlock, then you have to either intervene or, in extreme cases, report it to the chief.”

Optimus shook his head with a chuckle. “Prowl, I already know all of this. Why don’t we calm down and just enjoy the upcoming celebration?” he proposed with a smile.

Jazz pointed to him from where he was sitting across the hut, “that's good. Keep doing that,” he instructed. “You could woo him with your smile alone, boss bot.”

Optimus chuckled again, his deep smooth voice seeming to lift the weight in the shelter. “You two have nothing to worry about. I know all of the rules, Jazz is the best courter I could have found, and Prowl, I assure you, I know the traditions and I will follow them. I’ve spent a majority of the last cycle properly looking into Megatron’s courting ritual, just as you told me to.”

Prowl still didn’t seem quite satisfied, but he didn’t say anything.

Jazz shoved himself up from the berth and went to stand beside his partner. “We’ve got this courting in the bag,” he said with confidence. Probably too much confidence. Prowl practically sneered at him, glancing at Jazz with just his eyes.

“Don’t be too satisfied with yourself, you haven’t even spoken to him yet. For all you know he’s hard to please.”

“Heh, Prowler, I _know_ he’s hard to please. Have you _seen_ him?” he put on the smirk of a man too confident in his bet. “No no. We’ve got _plenty_ going for us, enough to make the hard to please seeker open right up.”

Optimus almost seemed to grimace. “Please, Jazz, don’t be so...crude. I’m doing this to unite the clans, and nothing more.”

Jazz shrugged a shoulder, his smirk never wavering. “Doesn’t mean you can’t get a little something out of it. You know, if Starscream will let you.”

Prowls attention shot back to Optimus. “Which, after you’ve been bonded, he should. This spectacular peace will only really work if you two can produce.”

Optimus shifted uncomfortably, averting his gaze to the floor. “We will see,” he mumbled. A moment later he turned his attention to Jazz. “I would prefer, Jazz, if that were something you did not mention when attempting to sway him.”

Jazz shrugged a shoulder. “If you insist.”

“I’m serious, Jazz.”

“And so am I. I can’t do anything you don’t want me to, remember?”

“That doesn’t mean you won’t do it.”

Jazz smirked. “Yeah, you caught me.”

Prowl brought the attention back to himself. “Now that that’s settled, I’m going to continue going over the rules. You-”

 

* * *

 

“Are not allowed to touch intended unless invited to do so,” Swoop chuckled. “That’ll be hard,” he muttered, elbowing his brother with a smirk.

“Keep reading,” Grimlock instructed, swatting away Sludge as he tried to pick the flecks from his seems.

Swoop chuckled, looking back at the reading. “You may share a berth with the intended if he offers. It is only acceptable to share the berth of the intended. Your own berth no good. If found in your berth with intended hut will be burned,” Swoop drew back, “whoo. Tough crowd.”

Slug chuckled on the other side of the hut where he was setting up their living space. “Megatron has many traditions. Very strange traditions.”

“That we agreed to,” Grimlock reminded sternly, “we must follow, as best we can. Keep reading.”

Swoop gave a scratch to his beak before going back to the reading. “When taking the intended’s body, suitor cannot touch spark. Body can only be _given_ . No taking. Intended is not exclusive, he can share his berth with as many suitors as he wants.” Swoop dumbed down the phrasing, making it somewhat more readable. “Oo, now we’re into Suitor specific rules. Okay-- Suitor can go hunt with host clan if want. Doesn’t have to. Suitor is _exclusive,_ cannot share body with anyone but intended.”

Slug sighed from his point in the room. It was closer to a growl. “Can’t we take a break from this slag? You’ve been reading us that stupid thing all day.”

“Not stupid,” Grimlock said in a warning tone, shooting his brother a glare. “Necessary. We abide by their rules. Lucky they sent them ahead.”

Slug scoffed. “Sure, _lucky_.”

Grimlock put his fist down. “It is _honor_ to be invited into another clan, to mate with one of their own. We _do not_ take this lightly. Lucky we were invited to ask for hand at all.”

Slug grumbled something to himself but didn’t argue. Grimlock eased slightly.

Swoop continued to silently read over the traditions.

“Swoop,” Grimlock called. “What are you going to tell him?”

Swoop shrugged. “Don’t know, what you want me to?”

Grimlock stood up a little straighter. “Strength,” he said first. “Good for protecting mate and clan. Make good bitlits when time come.”

Snarl stepped back into the hut from where he was observing the preparations for the celebration. “Megatron clan have weird traditions,” he announced upon entering. “No big public hut for anything. Closest they have is Megatron’s hut, but that still separate.”

Grimlock merely grunted. “Swoop, keep reading,” he ordered.

Swoop flocked a bit of dust from the paper before clearing his throat to read. “Suitors-”

 

* * *

 

“Are allowed to interact with other bots within the clan, however, not without their handler present. It should be noted that the most acceptable interactions a Suitor can have are between the intends Creators, brothers and sisters.”

“Do wing mates count?” Asked Skywarp from where he was painting patterns on his wing mates wings.

Starscream rolled his eyes, flinging his arms out. “how am I supposed to know? I'm just learning this _now.”_

 _“_ It's safe to assume we count,” Thundercracker said, dipping his brush back into the golden stain. Starscream shivered when the cold paint touched his wings. “are we done yet?” He grumbled.

Sunstorm made a face. “stop talking,” he instructed. “and stop moving your head,” he demanded, trying to place the brush on the right place on the intended’s face.

Starscream sneered, going back to reading. “this seems excessive. I don't remember all of this for your courting, Thundercracker.”

“That's because I was courted within the clan by Seeker traditions,” he mumbled absently, concentrating on his work, “this is a much bigger event than some love struck idiot trying to court you.”

“Hey!” Skywarp called, offended.

Thundercracker continued, undeterred, “what you're doing is very important.”

Starscream muttered something to himself but didn't necessarily argue, turning his attention back to the ritual. “The intended may take as long as needed to choose a Suitor...hm. Glad to know I can stretch this out for as long as possible.”

“I doubt the suitors would appreciate that,” Sunstorm muttered, more concentrated on his work, “close your eyes,” he instructed.

Starscream did as he was told, allowing Sunstorm to paint black around his eyes.

“How long do I have to wear this again?" he sneered, not liking the feeling of paint on his face or wings.

“Until you're bonded,” Thundercracker answered, finishing the last of his part of the pattern. “It's so everyone knows you're taken.”

“I'm _not_ taken.”

“Fine. _Will_ be taken then. It's like a big symbol that says 'do not touch.’”

“Well isn't that great,” Starscream drawled, looking back to the scroll in his hands right as Sunstorm was finishing up with his face. Starscream didn't notice Thundercracker handing him the golden paint, or where Sunstorm was going with it until it nearly came in contact with his modesty plate.

Starscream jolted as if he’d been bitten, his face twisting with a terrified disgust as he clamped his legs together and brought his knees up.

“What in Primus' name do you think you're _doing!”_ He spat, wings flaring.

Sunstorm seemed confused. “I'm marking you,” he said blankly, clearly not understanding the problem.

Starscream's gaze shifted between the brush and his brother, “not right there you're not.” Thundercracker came around from where he’d been sitting behind Starscream, and stood before the intended. “you have to,” he said sternly, “it's indication you’ve never been touched.”

“I don't care _what_ it is,” the seeker spat. “You're not painting me there.”

Thundercracker and Sunstorm exchanged the briefest of glances.

Something in Starscream's face fell. He did not like that look they gave eachother.

“Don't you dare,” he warned, figuring what they were up to. Before he could make a move, though, two sets of hand were doing their best to hold him down. Starscream struggled with the rage of Unicron, spitting threats and curses. “You are dead to me!” He raged. “I swear by Primus! I hope turbo-foxes raid your huts you heathens!!”

He struggled even harder when the brush made contact. It was quick, just a simple circle right above the modest panel and Sunstorm was done. Starscream was promptly released and he flew from his brother's grip. “I cannot _believe_ you just did that to me!” He raged, pointing an angry finger at his wing mates. “ulgh!” He sounded as though he was trying to throw up his words. “I really have to wear this? For the entire thing!?” He shuttered. “just great, now they’ll be even more keen to get in my berth,” he grumbled, pinching his brow. A moment later he looked to his wing mates and brother again. “you're all dead to me,” he reiterated. “ _dead_.”

“We heard you,” Thundercracker assured. “and I'm sure you'll exact the appropriate revenge. But for now, you have to endure the celebration,”

Starscream sneered, following his wing-mate to the entrance. Thundercracker pulled back the cloth and held it open for the intended. The last thing Starscream wanted was to go out there where the entire clan, along with three suitors, would have their eyes on him.

That’s not to say Starscream didn’t like attention. It was one of his favorite things, in fact. But only when he wanted it.

At that moment he didn’t want it.

At the moment he was a prize to be won, a vessel for bitlits, a mech to stand at the arm of their new ally’s offering.

Not the warrior he was. Not the fantastic flyer. Not the cunning sharp tongued seeker.

No.

Apparently none of that mattered to their chief. Nor did it matter to anyone else in that moment. All that mattered was who was the best suitor. Great. Fantastic. Because this was how Starscream wanted to be spending his evening. Fawned over by a bunch of mechs he knew nothing about. The idea of gifts wasn’t horrible, but the promise of intimate attention and at least one of them always trying to grab his attention was enough to give Starscream a processor ache before the process even started.

“Huh,” Jazz puffed, his smirk falling. “That’s...unexpected. This might be harder than I thought,” he muttered to himself.

Prowl glanced at his partner. “Are you talking about the-”

“Yeah. I’d think someone like that would have all the mechs in his berth,” his smirked returned when he looked to Optimus. “Looks like that wouldn’t be a good ringing in point anyways, big guy.”

Optimus came close to scowling. “Jazz I have asked you several times already to _stop_ with such crude implications. I will not ask again.” He warned.

Jazz backed off entirely. “my apologies,” he muttered, gaze falling away from his leader. “I will refrain.”

Optimus turned his attention back to the seeker who had just emerged from the hut.

 

* * *

 

“Pure,” was the first thing Grimlock grunted.

Swoop chuckled. “hard to please. What think of that?”

“Tough mate good advocate. Good for raising bitlits and leading clan. Stubborn mate is best mate.”

Sludge nodded stiffly in agreement. “me suggest you get in first word. Seemed to like you in proposal.”

Swoop leaned over so he was looking past Grimlock to his larger brother. “Me Swoop worry about getting them Starscream and Grimlock together. You and Slug keep eyes on Grimlock.”

Sludge shifted slight. “just trying to help,” he grumbled.

 

* * *

 

Skyfire looked around at everyone else’s reactions before turning to his handlers.

“They seem...surprised by something,” he pointed out, “is there something I'm missing?” He inquired, looking more to Ratchet for answers.

“He wears the mark of an untouched seal,” Ratchet answered, never taking his eyes off the seeker, “it seems you two already have something in common.”

Skyfire leaned back, thinking on the matter. “Well, I suppose it's better than nothing,” he muttered to himself.

“We don't wear such marks in our tribe, it's too personal,” Ratchet continued. “Cyclonus has always liked his privacy.”

“What are those other symbols? On his wings and his face.”

Ratchet studied the patterns for a moment. “They are the representations of Unicron and Primus. He who will bless your bond and he who will destroy it. The marks on his face are merely a symbol of desire, that he is being sought after and should not be pursued.”  

Ratchet smirked, “interesting how cultures differ between tribes. I remember a time when we shared our traditions. Courting was much simpler then.”

Wheeljack made a noise, drawing his companion's attention. “yeah, simpler. Find the biggest Sire, the biggest Carrier. Bond. Make bitlits,” he didn't sound too happy about it. “ain’t nothin’ _simpler_ than that I guess.”

Ratchet leaned over slightly to look at his partner, “civility is a new concept, Wheeljack. It was only after the last great war that we stopped traveling, and that wasn't long ago.”

“And yet there still remains a thin line between us and Galvatron,” Skyfire muttered.

“Don't think like that big guy,” Wheeljack said, “you just concentrate your attention on courting the seeker so we don't have to worry 'bout that no more.”

Skyfire slumped slightly, “he probably would have had better luck if he’d sent one of the warriors.”

Ratchet put a reassuring hand on his arm, “you know we had none to spare,” he started calmly, “and besides, you're just as good as any of these suitors.  You've got wings. That gives you the greatest advantage.”

“Yeah,” Wheeljack agreed. “Seekers aren't known for their tendency to mate with ground pounders.”

Ratchet leaned over to look at the face of his companions.

“The point is, Skyfire, everyone here has something going for them, but _you_ still stand the best chance.”

“Against a chef and a mighty warrior?! You have to be joking.”

Wheeljack puffed something if a laugh. “Come on, Sky, we all know Ratchet can’t joke.”

Ratchet scowled at the comment but said nothing. They continued to watch as the seekers emerged, praying to primus the evening didn’t go south.

 

* * *

 

Fire lit up the village, illuminating the grand tables all cast about and put together between the seeker territory and the rest of Megatron’s clan.

Starscream kept his people separate from the rest of Megatron’s clan. They were not originally part of Megatron’s village, and Starscream, despite relinquishing his status, made sure his seekers remained their own people with their own traditions. Megatron, in turn, agreed to integrate some of their traditions into his clan. Starscream insisted, however, that they still needed their own space to practice their beliefs. Despite being entirely merged Starscream and Megatron’s people remained separate.

Starscream was about to take his seat when a strong pair of hands grabbed him by the shoulders. “Oh no, my dear Starscream,” Megatron started, dragging the seeker away. “You are to be seated with your suitors.”

Starscream sneered, tugging from his leader’s grip. Megatron showed him to the table and remained standing until he was sure the seeker wouldn’t run off. Starscream found himself at one of the thrown about tables with Skyfire, Optimus and Grimlock, along with their handlers and their courters. People whose names he did not know and did not care to. In the center of the table rested the freshly hunted Alloygator Thundercracker had brought in earlier that morning. That helped to lift Starscream’s mood. There were few things he loved more than chewing on the crisp skin of a roasted Alloygator. Beside it were bowls and plates full of everything from energy leeches to lilleth and petro-rabbit eggs. The dried remnants of the quetzalcoatl Starscream had hunted a couple days before were spread about the many tables. Megatron was kind enough to leave them the head to pick at.

The celebration wasn’t awful, but it certainly wasn’t as enjoyable as past celebrations when Starscream wasn’t being crowded by three suitors and their hand mechs. Starscream found his reach for much of the food and beverage impeded by the mechs attempting to converse with him. He could hardly enjoy the music over their chatter and his wing mates were nowhere to be found. Those he usually fought over Alloygator tails with. He never thought he would miss such bouts.

“I find it strange that you eat these leeches,” Optimus commented, squeezing one of the squirming creatures in his hand.

“It is a Vosnian tradition,” Starscream spat, “I would not expect a ground mech like you to understand,” he grabbed a hand full and released them in front of him, picking them off one by one in quick bites.

Prowl nudged his chief and gestured the leech with his head. Optimus got the suggestion immediately but he didn’t like it. Warily he eyed the leech. In turn Starscream eyed him, tempted to smirk to himself. There was no way he would do it.

With a quick flick Optimus popped it in his mouth. The wiggling thing exploded between his dentia releasing a flood of bittersweet energon against his glossia. It was disgusting. The skin of the creature remained. It was rubbery, difficult to chew, forcing Optimus to swallow it all in one gulp.

Starscream stared at him wide eyed. Not for a second did he expect the grounder to actually _do it._

After Optimus disgusted face fell he smiled, looking to Starscream. “How am I to mate with a seeker if I cannot even accept something as simple as his food?” he offered, grabbing another one. Before it reached his mouth Starscream snatched it and put it in his own and swallowed it in one gulp.

“I see no reason to waste them on you,” he said, “they’re hard to get,” instead Starscream grabbed a petro-rabbit egg and presented it to the suitor. “I suggest you stick to these,” he proposed dryly, making no attempt to joke, or even really be nice.

Starscream turned back to his own feasting, reaching over to the gator and using his claws to help pry off a piece of the foot. In his effort he noticed Skyfire from across the table take a great hand full of leeches and pop them in his mouth, no problem.

“You,” Starscream snapped, pointing to the winged bot.

The sudden acknowledgment made the shuttle jump. With wide surprised eyes he pointed to himself, making sure he was the subject of Starscream’s hail.

“Yes, you,” Starscream confirmed. “From where do you hail?”

Skyfire had to swallow before answering. “The Tetrahexian territory. Under Cyclonus.”

Starscream eased slightly. “Ah,” was all he could think to say. A second later he lost interest, turning back to his meal.

Wheeljack nudged Skyfire. “Talk to him,” he whispered, nodding towards the intended.

Skyfire hesitated before getting to speak. “I-” he started, but paused, losing his confidence. “I have done extensive research on the Vosnian tradition,” he managed to spit out. “I find their culture very beautiful. Leeches included.”

This caught Starscream’s interest. With curiosity Starscream turned all of his attention to the much larger bot. “Have you?” he inquired, genuinely intrigued. After a moment, however, he smirked, leaning back. Starscream searched around behind him for a minute before spotting one of his wing mates and gesturing for him to come over. For a moment he joked in Vosian with Thundercracker about the peculiarity of such a thing.

Skyfire could tell he was being made fun of, and he certainly didn’t appreciate it. “ _I can speak it_ ,” he spit out, immediately drawing the two seekers attention. “ _Fluently. I’ve been studying your culture for years, especially after it was destroyed. I wanted to preserve what little was left once you disappeared.”_

The two seekers could only stare at him, wide eyed and shocked. _No one_ spoke Vosian. _No one._ Even many seekerletes were beginning to lose a proper seeker’s education in the language.

After the shock subsided Starscream turned forward and bowed his head. “ _My apologies_ ,” he started. _“I should not have underestimated you in such a way._ _It is...rare, to say the least. To find anyone outside my people who would take the time to learn a language so useless.”_

 _“I don’t find the preservation of beauty a useless pursuit. The way your language rolls of the glossia is like none I have ever practiced,”_ Skyfire smiled. “ _It took a bit of getting used to_.”

“ _How did you manage such an accent having never heard it before?”_

_“Our Chief, Cyclonus, had visited the Seeker territory numerous times. He helped me learn.”_

Starscream allowed himself to smile as he continued to converse with the mech. It was a comfort, being able to speak in his first tongue. The only people he had to converse with were his wing-mates otherwise.

It had been a hassle, teaching everyone to speak Kaonite, the language of Megatron’s territory, but Starscream had done it. Some still refused to speak it, though, and so hardly took part in the community. One did not have to speak to hunt and battle, so no one paid any real mind to it.

The seekers culture was rapidly dying, and Starscream was doing just about everything he could to prevent it's flame from going out entirely. To know at least some winged Mechs took an interest in it was a comfort. Though seekers were more fond of private lives, hidden away to do what they will, the situation was desperate enough that Starscream would find relief in a _grounder_ studying them.

The two continued to converse until Starscream, out of the corner of his eye, spotted a hand reaching for the alloygators tail.  He stopped mid sentence, half lunging over Optimus, to grab the wrist of his third suitor, Grimlock.

The Dynobot was surprised by the strength of the seekers grip.  

Everything at the table seemed to pause.

“That’s mine,” Starscream growled.

After a moment Grimlock puffed something of a laugh and pulled his hand away. It was then that Starscream realized everyone was staring at him. He eased back, falling back into his seat. “What?” he snapped, sneering.

Grimlock rubbed his wrist. “You Starscream strong,” he commented, inspecting the small puncture marks that had been left by the intended’s claws.

Starscream scoffed. “Of course I’m strong, I’m a _Seeker_. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to any of you.”

The suitors exchanged glances before looking back to the intended. Optimus spoke for them. “I don’t believe any of us did the proper research before the courting,” he explained. “It was surprising.”

After another moment of no words between them Grimlock stood and came around to the other side of the table so he was sitting across from Starscream. The seeker eyed him a moment, slightly confused but curious enough to keep his attention. After a moment Grimlock put his elbow on the table, hand up. “Arm wrestle,” he proposed bluntly.

At first Starscream was surprised before it quickly turned to amusement. His face twisted in a crooked smirk before he barked a laugh, throwing his head back. “Oh _please_ ,”  he huffed. “You think I would lower myself to such petty feats of strength?”

Grimlock lifted a brow. “Can’t do it?” he challenged.

Starscream’s smirk fell. “I have nothing to prove to you,” he growled, then looking around the table. “ _I_ have nothing to prove to _any_ of you,” he spat. “You’re all supposed to be impressing _me._ ”

“Would beating you not impress you?” Grimlock proposed.

Starscream eyed him with piercing optics. “Alright,” he eventually agreed, face and tone easing into a more neutral stance. “If you want to try and impress me this way, who am I to deny you?”

Starscream accepted the challenge, grabbing his suitors hand. Before they could start however, their hands were grabbed by a white servo. Both looked up to find Ratchet, scowling at them. “If you think you’re doing such a thing without a referee then you’re out of your processor.”

The other handler’s laughed slightly, though tried to hold back. “You go on my mark,” he said sternly. “And…” the competitors readied themselves. “ _Go_ ,” as soon as Ratchet removed his hand Grimlock’s hand hit the table.

Everyone sat stunned for a moment. Starscream just leaned back, all too satisfied with himself.

The first to break the silence was Jazz with an “Ohh ho ho,” of disbelief and amusement, the smirk on his face spreading into a smile. All of the courters just got a lot more nervous.

Optimus eventually stood and took another seat across from  Starscream. He, too, put his hand up. “May I?”

Grimlock scoffed. “I doubt Prime is stronger than Grimlock.”

Optimus turned his attention to his competitor. “Then may I wrestle you first?” he challenged, turning his arm to Grimlock. For a moment Grimlock eyed it, dashing his gaze between Optimus’ face and his hand. “Fine,” he agreed.  

Like before Ratchet’s hand rested on their’s. The healer gave the ‘go’ and the two went at it. Grimlock was fist to push and so thought he had the upper hand. After a few seconds, however, Optimus turned on him and soon Grimlock’s hand hit the table once again. Grimlock growled. “Other arm,” he challenged calmly, offering his other arm.

Optimus eyes it for a moment. Starscream seemed to perk to attention, sitting up.

Optimus accepted the challenge. The match started like the two prior. As soon as Ratchet gave the go the two were at it, seemingly more on par this time. Optimus struggled against the Dynobot’s brute strength. This match was clearly more of challenge than the last one.

It took nearly five kliks before Optimus’ hand finally went down. As soon as it ended Starscream slapped the table and let out something that could only be described as a screech. All attention turned to him. “You _dare_ give me the lesser challenge?” he spat, his flared wings highlighting his rage.

Optimus and Grimlock exchanged glances. Starscream's arm was up and ready. Grimlock eventually accepted the challenge. Ratchet refereed, and soon they were off. Grimlock’s hand was on the table in seconds. This time Starscream continued to scowl despite his victory. “ _Never_ underestimate me, Dynobot,” he warned in a low tone. Without taking his eyes off the suitor Starscream ripped the tail from the Alloygator and vacated the table, stomping away from the celebration.

Jazz shook his head at the two. “You just made this _a lot_ harder for the lot of us.”

Wheeljack patted Skyfire’s arm. “Good job gettin’ ahead,” he whispered. “Gives me a lot less work to do.”

Skyfire gave a light smile. “I’m glad for you,” he whispered back, nudging his colleague with his elbow. A second later his smile fell as he looked off where Starscream had just stormed off. “I feel bad, though. He seemed angry.”

“Ey, I’m pretty sure he’s always angry. Just kinda gettin’ that vibe, ya know?” Wheeljack pushed himself to a stand. “I’m gonna wander away for a bit. All the yellling’s giving me a processor ache. Call me if he comes back and you need a wingman,” only a few steps away he stopped short, turning back to Skyfire. “Also, since this is my job an’ all, I’m gonna suggest you talk to him _exclusively_ in Vosian, alright?”

Skyfire nodded. Wheeljack gave him two thumbs up before heading off again.

It wasn’t hard to get away from the noise. The village was surrounded by brush and forest area. The second moon was bright that night, illuminating the area in a spectacular way. Wheeljack had very little trouble finding his way through the already worn paths. Eventually he came across a clearing with a large mercury pond. The first thing Wheeljack noticed was how beautiful it was. The way the ever moving mercury bounced the moons rays about, the reflection sparkling off the metal flora surrounding the pond.

The second thing he noticed was the seeker sitting on the shore.

Wheeljack’s first thought was. “Scrap,” remembering immediately that the intended was not to be alone with anyone. His second thought doused the flame. It wasn’t as though anyone would know, and it wasn’t like they were doing anything scandalous. Wheeljack just wanted to be away from the party as much as Starscream did.

Starscream sat, arms rested on his knees. In his hand hung a half eaten alloygator tail. “You can sit down, grounder,” he said. The sudden voice jolted Wheeljack.

“I won’t bite,” Starscream grumbled, then taking a bite of the tail. “Not you anyways.”

After a moment of hesitation Wheeljack took a seat a safe distance from the intended. Starscream side eyed him. “Right,” he drawled after a minute, “no being alone with the intended. What a bunch of slag,” he muttered, taking another bite of the tail. Starscream glanced at Wheeljack, who hadn’t moved a micro-meter since he sat down. The seeker huffed but didn’t comment.

Wheeljack glanced once Starscream turned away. It took a couple minutes but Wheeljack’s plating eventually eased.

“It’s ah...kinda pretty out here,” he commented, feeling strangled by the silence.

“It is,” Starscream replied, readjusting so he was sitting cross legged. “It’s an eyesore during the day.”

Wheeljack couldn’t help but smile slightly under his mask. “I’m sure it is,” he muttered back. “All that bright silvers scrap wavin’ around. Probably hard to look at.”

“It hurts your optics.”

“I can imagine.”

There was a moment of silence.

“If anyone finds us out here you’re jumping in there,” Starscream said, pointing to the pool, “It’s the quickest way out.”

Wheeljack lifted a brow. “Can’t you just fly away?”

Starscream rolled his eyes. “Do you know how loud a _jet_ is?”

“No. Can’t say I do. There aren’t any jets where I come from.”

Starscream scoffed. “Of course there aren’t,” he grumbled. “There are no jets anywhere. Not anymore.”

They fell into silence again. As much as Wheeljack usually liked the sound of waves falling in on themselves the noise was becoming more and more irritating the longer he sat in silence with the seeker. Yet Wheeljack couldn’t find it in himself to leave. Not yet.

“How’d you get over here?” he asked, his mouth moving faster than his processor could think.

Starscream glanced at him. “Over where?” he asked.

“Here,” Wheeljack clarified. “Last I saw you were headed in the _opposite_ direction.”

“I have legs. They carry me places sometimes,” Starscream answered bluntly.

Wheeljack scooted just slightly closer. “Yeah...dumb question,” he grumbled, looking back out onto the waves.

Starscream glanced at him a few times over the next silence. “Do you have a mouth under there?” he eventually asked, this time keeping his eyes locked on Wheeljack.

Wheeljack retracted his mask, though not entirely on purpose. “Uh…” he stuttered, slightly surprised by his own action. “Yes.”

Starscream ‘humphed’ a small laugh, allowing a smile. “Would you like a bite?” he offered, presenting the half eaten tail.

Wheeljack’s glance dashed between Starscream and the offering.

“Sure,” he eventually landed on, then carefully taking the tail from the intended’s hand, careful not to touch him. Starscream’s small smile fell. “I’m not toxic,” he mumbled, though said nothing more.

Wheeljack had never had Alloygator. Why he’d agreed to this he wasn't sure.

Not until he bit into it at least.

Though hesitant at first Wheeljack managed to sink his dentia into the surprisingly soft skin. It was savory, but a bit of sweetness seeped through the energon. The skin was soft, but thick, and less chewy than Wheeljack was anticipating. With a hum he eagerly chewed, though tried his best to savor the bite. “It’s good,” he said, trying to hand it back. Starscream put a hand up. “It’s yours.”

Wheeljack blanked for a moment before smirking. “But you worked so hard for it,” he joked. For that he received a sneer.

“You’re not doing a very good job, courter,” Starscream commented.

Wheeljack shrugged, taking another bite. “Hey, I didn’t sign up for this. Plus Skyfire seems to be doin’ pretty well on his own.”

Starscream’s face was unreadable. Eventually he looked back to the mercury. “You and me both, pal,” he muttered.

It took a moment for Wheeljack to determine to what exactly he was referring. When he did he lowered his meal and took a moment to think.

“That why you in such a bad mood?”

Wheeljack nearly slapped himself. _Of course_ . Because _that’s_ what you say to someone like this. Someone who, for one, is already in a bad mood, second, has already been asked a slew of stupid questions, and third, could rip Wheeljack’s throat out without batting an optic or probably lifting a servo.

Starscream huffed, leaning back on his hands, “you would be too if your Chief was trying to hand you off to some _stranger_.”

That was taken much better than Wheeljack was expecting. He decided to go with it. “I’m sure I would be,” he agreed. “But ain’t that why they court? So you can, ya know, get to know em?”

Starscream sneered. “How am I supposed to ‘get to know’ any of them when all they want to concentrate on is _impressing_ me? It isn’t as though they’re that impressive _all_ the time. This is merely a facade to get in my berth. It’s deplorable, for both parties.”

“...parties meaning…?”

  
“Megatron and the suitors. This is not the seeker way.”

Wheeljack scooted a great distance closer. “What is the seeker way?”

Starscream glanced at him. “I’m sure Skyfire could tell you.”

Wheeljack shrugged. “Maybe. But it wouldn’t be anything like hearin’ it straight from the seeker himself.”

Starscream's head snapped up. His optics were bright.

Before either could say anything the distinct sound of pede steps ruffled the brush. Both turned their attention to the sound. Wheeljack felt a bolt of panic strike him. When he looked back to Starscream he was gone. “What the-”

“Courter.”

Wheeljack jumped at the deep voice. “Uhh, huh, yes. I am a courter.” he stuttered, now finding himself looking up at a blue seeker. Wheeljack quickly leaped to his feet, feeling vulnerable on the ground.

“Wheeljack, right?” Thundercracker inquired, keeping on a hard expression.

“Yeah that’s right.”

“Have you seen the intended around here?”

“Uh,” Wheeljack glanced back to where they were just sitting. “No. No I have not,” he answered, probably not as convincingly as he could have.

Thundercracker lifted a brow at him, his lip twisting as though he wasn’t sure. “If you see him send him back to the village. You are not to spend a second alone with him, understand?”

“Of course,” Wheeljack assured. “I wouldn’t even consider it”

Thundercracker gave a stiff nod of approval before turning to leave. After barely a step he paused, looking back to Wheeljack. “You should return to the celebration,” he proposed, though it was more of a demand. “We don’t feel comfortable with guests exploring our territory unaccompanied.”

“Sorry...I just got tired a’ the noise.”

Thundercracker gave another stiff nod. “Understandable, but please refrain in the future. You understand.”

“I do, and I apologize. If I could have another moment?”

“Fine,” Thundercracker wave a low hand, turning further away. “But don’t be long.”

“I won’t.”

With that Thundercracker wandered back to the village. As soon as he was far enough away Wheeljack looked back at the pool.

He nearly jumped out of his plating when Starscream rose from the mercury.

“Primus, what in the pits!” he called, trying to be as quiet as he could through the surprise. “I was wonderin’ where you went,” Wheeljack said, approaching the intended and putting a hand out to help him up. Before Starscream could grab it, though, he pulled it away, remembering that was a no-no. Starscream sneered, grabbing the hand anyways. Wheeljack didn’t really have the strength to fight that. “I thought I was the one who was supposed to jump in,” he commented once Starscream was up and shaking himself off.

“You were too slow,” Starscream said, brushing a bit of Mercury from his arm. “You should head back before me. They know I’m less likely to follow an order like that. It will look less suspicious,” Starscream wiggled off the remaining liquid before turning his full attention to Wheeljack. “If you still want to learn about seeker culture, meet me here tomorrow night after the torches go out.”

“I-”

“You don’t have to come,” Starscream clarified, putting a hand up to halt any protest. “I come out here all the time. It would just be a _coincidence_ that you _happen_ to wander over here again, at the same time I did.”

Wheeljack doused any protest he might have had. “Alright,” he agreed. “We’ll see.”

Starscream smirked. “Wonderful,” he waved a hand, stepping off. “I suppose I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

Wheeljack watched Starscream wander off further down the shore. On the inside he was screaming at himself. This felt like a bad idea. This whole _mess_ was a bad idea. He could feel it in the pit of his spark.

And yet, Wheeljack had already decided that he would be there the next night, and it was likely nothing was going to change that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having a hard time getting into the rhythm with this story, hopefully that will resolve itself.


	3. The Courters

**Shhhhrrr** **_ing_ **

**Shhhhrrr** **_ing_ **

Of all the things Starscream imagined he'd be doing that morning—

 **Shhhhrrr** **_ing_ **

—entertaining three courters was not one of them. Though, “entertaining” was being used loosely. Starscream didn't take his eyes off the three as he put the stone to the blade in his lap once again.

 **Shhhhrrr** **_ing_ **

Eventually Starscream lifted a brow. “Is there something you all wanted?” he inquired, resting the sword. The courters exchanged glances as if deciding something silently between themselves. Jazz answered for them. “Considering no one is allowed to be with you alone we decided to try and get to know you as a group.”

Starscream gave them a skeptical look. “Sort of defeats the purpose, don’t you think?” he said, digging the sword into the ground to help him stand. Carefully he placed it back on the wall. “You realize that in my culture, this is quite rude,” he pointed out sharply, almost warningly. His attention turned back to the three on the ground. “You were invited in here by the guard at the door. But strangers aren’t allowed into a seeker’s hut if they are not invited in by the owner.”

Starscream sat back down across from them. “Imagine my surprise when I found my three suitors wingmen seated oh-so comfortably in my own hut.”

Jazz shrugged a shoulder before bowing his head. “We apologize for the intrusion,” he said, though didn’t sound so sincere. “The last thing we want is to offend the intended. Unfortunately we are only bound by the laws of Megatron’s clan. We aren’t familiar with the particulars of seeker culture.”

Almost as soon as he finished speaking Wheeljack was on his feet. The other two watched as he left the hut. Starscream watched carefully, his expression twisting curiously as he waited to see what the grounder would do.

Barely ten seconds later someone pulled on the door cover, asking for entrance.

Starscream blinked, slightly taken back. After another second and a glance to the other courters he stood and went to draw back the tarp. Behind it was Wheeljack. “Yes?” Starscream inquired slowly, now utterly confused and totally thrown off.

“Can I come in?” the grounder asked casually, as if he weren’t just in the hut a moment ago.

“Uh…”Starscream wasn’t sure how to react. It was so odd, why would he-

Then it hit him.

“Of course,” he finally said, stepping aside and holding the tarp as Wheeljack entered. Starscream watched the grounder as he passed, and continued to stare as he went to stand beside the other two. Starscream didn’t realize how long he’d been staring until Wheeljack glanced back at him. “May I sit?”

Starscream almost jolted from his trance, shaking it away. “Yes,” his voice cracked. He reset his vocalizer, releasing the tarp. “Yes,” he repeated, more confident this time as he approached the three.

Starscream’s surprise dissipated as he looked down at them. “I don’t like people in my hut,” he started slowly, “so the next time you all think it is a brilliant idea to impede upon my territory, wait outside.”  He spat the last two words, coming around to sit across from them again. “I couldn’t give two flying scraps about _Megatron’s_ rules. They apply to the courting methods alone, and the suitors. My personal space, not already dictated by Megatron’s traditions, are dictated by _seeker_ traditions. And seeker tradition states no one is to enter another’s home without the sole owner’s permission. You’ve interrupted my morning routine and invaded my privacy. So far _none_ of you are doing anything to get on my good side.”

The three mechs, even the one with too much confidence in himself, began to look a bit more wary. Starscream smirked. “I recommend you all read up on your etiquette.” The smirk fell a second later. “Now, if you’d be so kind...” He stood. “I have duties to fulfill, and you’re going to help me with them.”

All three suitors perked with attention and surprise.  They certainly weren't expecting that.

“Come on,” Starscream demanded, flipping a finger in an 'up’ motion. “Up. We've got a lot of work to do.”

They were on their feet in an instant, as if pulled by an invisible string attached to the red seekers finger. Starscream walked with grace and confidence, steps light, wings and chin held high. Behind his back taloned fingers loosely held to his wrist, letting his hands rest in a calm, decisive manner.

Wheeljack, Jazz, and Swoop scurried after, surprised by the speed of his long stride. They soon found themselves in the communal Seeker hut, set in the center of the rest. All of the huts within the this part of the village were connected in a hexagonal pattern. In the center, easily accessible to all through a simple series of hallways, was the communal hut, not generally open to outsiders.

When they entered everything seemed to freeze. All of the seekers turned their attention to their winglord and his guests. Starscream addressed the people. “ _These are my courters,_ ” he explained in Vosian. “ _They will be accompanying me today. Please pay them no mind. They will not touch you.”_

Starscream turned sharply to the bots. “Do not speak,” he ordered, “and do not engage. You are not to touch anyone, understand?”

Everyone nodded vigorously.

Starscream smiled. “Good.” Then he turned on a heel and continued the trek.

The first thing Starscream did was greet his people, paying close attention to those with sparklings. The normally scowling winglord smiled at the few bitlits he greeted, kneeling down to greet them where they sat in their Carrier or Sire’s arms. Some were attached to the base of their creators wings, a sight Starscream seemed more than pleased at. It made his smile widen as he tickled the bitlit’s cheek and greeted the parent.

Wheeljack wanted to ask questions, but he continually reminded himself that he wasn’t to speak. Thoughts and questions itched at the front of his mind.  Curiosity, on several occasions throughout the greeting, nearly got the best of him. Luckily, he managed to refrain. There weren’t too many residents in the hut at the moment so fortunately Starscream’s greeting did not take too long.

It was interesting to see the young seekers. Most of them didn’t look any more than one hundred or two hundred years old. There were no new-sparks, at least none Wheeljack could see.

“Most of us sleep in here,” Starscream explained as they wandered through the large space. “And wander off to our own huts when we need to, or when one wants privacy with their mate. Huts are shared with family, trine mates, or bonded mates. I share mine with my brother, Sunstorm.”

They crossed a threshold into another hallway.

“You will only know about me what I choose to tell you,” he told them. “You can ask as many questions as you want, but I won’t be answering them. I see courters as ‘cheating’ in a sense. If my suitors want to get to know me then they should make an effort to do so instead of sending their wingman.” Starscream shrugged, letting out something of an overdramatic sigh. “But since you’re all so badly versed with my definition of etiquette I’m going to educate you.” He stopped short and turned to the bots. Swoop ran into a halted Jazz and Wheeljack ran into Swoop.

“Understood?” Starscream finished.

Everyone nodded. Starscream smiled. “Fantastic. Now,” he turned on a heel and continued walking, making it to the next hut in only a couple of strides. “I would prefer if you all stay out here while I do this. Just sit tight, I will be back.” He slipped into the hut, leaving the three in his wake.

Everyone let out a vent they didn’t know they’d been holding in.

“A little...abrasive,” Jazz whispered, having lost a great deal of the confidence he had upon first arriving. “But I’m sure I can work with that,” he mumbled to himself, slipping into thought.

Swoop chuckled to himself. “Grimlock will love him,” he said, barely audible to anyone but himself.

Wheeljack wasn’t thinking about much. In his mind he concocted a plan of action. One that was simple, and frankly quite dangerous, but probably more effective than either of the others could come up with.  Especially considering that they were concentrating more on their suitors and less on the intended.

After the failed spike measuring contest on the part of Optimus and Grimlock at the celebration, Wheeljack could already tell Skyfire was ahead.

“Wonder what he’s doin’ in there,” Swoop wondered aloud, pulling Wheeljack from his thoughts.

Jazz smiled a crooked smile. “Wanna find out?” he asked deviously, heading to the door cover. Carefully he peaked through the crack, making extra sure not to touch it and alert anyone to his presence. After a few seconds Swoop joined him.

Wheeljack hesitated. It felt wrong. Clearly Starscream wanted to keep whatever this was private. He really should be practicing respect to the seekers wishes.

Hardly a minute later, Wheeljack had an eye to the slit.

 

* * *

 

Starscream gently rubbed the bitlits cheek with the back of his finger. On his face he wore a hard expression. One of thought, concern, and consideration.   

The sparkling coughed, squeezing it's eyes shut even more than they already were.  It made a small noise of distress as it began to seize. Starscream’s expression fell into pure sorrow as he looked down at the poor little thing, suffering, with no one to help it. Starscream rested his hand upon it’s head in a futile attempt to comfort it through the pain. “Hang in there little one,” he murmured. “Help is coming.”

Sunstorm sighed from beside him. “Starscream,” he said softly. “We need to bring in a real medic. Everyone within the clan has done everything they can.”

Starscream stood up straight, expression returning to neutral as his hands returned to their position behind his back. “He will pull through,”

Sunstorm shoved his brothers shoulder as if trying to knock the facade away. “Wake up Starscream!” he demanded, taking a step into his brother’s space. “This is the fifth sparkling this deca-cycle, and the time between is getting shorter and shorter. They’re dying younger!” Sunstorm gripped his medical pad with both hands before throwing it at his brother. “You're a _fool_ if you think anything is going to change without action!”

 

* * *

 

Wheeljack was the first to back off. “We shouldn't be listening to this,” he said decisively. “This is their private clan business.”

Jazz glanced back at the bot. “Maybe,” he shrugged. “Private clan business that tells _us_ these bots need medics and bitlits.”

“If Starscream isn’t tellin’ us this then we shouldn’t know about it,” Wheeljack persisted.

Jazz rolled his eyes, pulling himself away from the door to confront the stubborn bot. “Look, man,” he put an uninvited arm around the alchemist. “I can tell you’re new at the whole ‘courter’ thing, so I’m gonna give you a slip of advice. When you’re doin’ this you get whatever you can from the intended. _Everything_ matters- from their favorite flower to their former love interests. _Everything_ . And you get everything by whatever means necessary so that your suitor,” he poked Wheeljack in the chest, “Gets the upper hand. I’ve tried to help you two out, inviting you guys here with me today, but I can only take it so far. In the end you are my competition, and you best believe I’m going to do everything I just told you to do, and it’s going to work. Can’t just lean on the suitor, my man, they are _clueless_.”

Wheeljack scowled at the unsolicited touch and shoved himself from the smooth mech’s grip. “Yeah, thanks,” he droned. “But no thanks. I don’t need your less-than-honorable tips.”

Jazz shrugged. “Suit yourself. But you’re gonna fall behind real quick.”

“Is that so?” Wheeljack said, quirking a brow.

Jazz barked a laugh. “If you think for one second the Winglord of the seekers would go for a simple alchemist as opposed to a Chief, then you, my friend, need to get that processor of yours checked out. Your boy ain’t got nothin’ on mine.”

“You really think that? Skyfire’s got everything on Optimus. For one he and I, unlike you, actually have respect for the seeker’s culture. Which, if you haven’t noticed, is kinda a big deal to him.”

Jazz made a ‘tft’ noise, rolling his eyes. “With how desperate their situation is I doubt that’ll be a factor in a few deca-cycles,” he said, too smug for his own good.

Wheeljack put a finger to the infuriating mechs chest. “I think you’re forgetting how prideful this guy is, if you think for one second Starscream--”

“Starscream, _what_ ?” Starscream snapped. Everyone turned their attention to the open entryway Starscream was standing in, still holding up the door cover, scowling at them. “I hope I’m not being talked about behind my back ten feet away from me,” he said, approaching the two arguing mechs until he came to stand between them. “I don’t have _time_ to deal with two feuding mechs, and we don’t have the room for it. If you want to argue, then _leave_ . I’ve got more important things to deal with than _you,”_ For a moment he looked between them, measuring their expression in response to his warning. After determining he was satisfied with their apologetic, almost scared gazes, he moved on.

“Come on,” he demanded, moving back through the hallway. “We’ve got work to do.”

They soon found themselves back in the main hut. Starscream lead them over to a relatively empty spot by the wall and demanded they sit not facing the rest of the hut. After that he walked away and returned with two buckets, a few sharp rocks, and several dead petroturtles, all of which he crudely dropped before his guests. Starscream took a seat before them and set up whatever it was they were doing. He grabbed a carcass and a rock before looking back to the three.

“Have any of you ever done this before?” he asked. “You may speak.”

Swoop was the first to pipe up. “Me Swoop done this. Do with brothers all the time.”

“Wonderful,” Starscream said stiffly, turning his attention to the remaining two. “Either of you?”

Jazz slipped on his false smirk. “I know I haven’t, but it’d be an honor if you would teach us.”

Starscream lifted a brow, looking at the bot as though he’d just said the stupidest thing in the world. “Of course I’m going to teach you,” he nearly spat. “You’d be useless to me otherwise.”

Jazz’s smirk fell and Wheeljack stifled a laugh. At that Starscream flashed him a smirk, one nobody could have possibly noticed.

Nobody but Jazz that is.

Swoop happily began digging out his turtle while Starscream gave instruction. “Bones and shell in this bucket, meat in this one. It’s simple. Cut around the edge of the shell,” Starscream demonstrated, shoving the shaper flat side of his stone between the shell and the belly. “Once the mesh is separated you should be able to peel it right out,” Starscream dug his claws in and in one swift move removed a good portion of the turtle meat from inside the shell. “Pick through, remove the bones, scrape until it’s clean,” he finished bluntly. “Simple enough.”

Jazz and Wheeljack, who had been following along, looked down at their work. Jazz’s looked almost as smooth as Starscream’s. Wheeljack’s work, on the other hand, looked like a bloody mess.

Starscream grimaced at the sight.

Wheeljack looked down at himself with a small, ‘Ew.’

“We’ll- keep working,” Starscream eventually said. “There are plenty more to gut.”

As they tended to their work Starscream explained to them a few things they would need to know if their suitors were going to be courting a seeker. It was necessary since Seekers tended to travel in groups. Where there was one seeker, there were others. And wherever Starscream went they all went.

“ _Never_ , **_ever_ ** touch a seeker’s sparkling without consent from one of the creators. I don’t care if it’s touching you, I don’t give two flying frags if it’s digging it’s claws into your plating and climbing _up_ you, _do not touch it_. There’ll be worse coming your way than a few tiny claw marks.” He grunted, tearing out the spine of the beast in his lap. “Be sure your suitors are aware that with me comes all of my seekers. Despite our merge, Megatron is not acknowledged as their leader, that honor still belongs to me.”

Wheeljack’s vocalizer itched with unasked questions. He kept his mouth shut out of respect (and fear) and hoped to Primus that he could satisfy the need later when they were alone. It was unlikely the seeker would exercise such power, intimidation and abrasiveness is such a setting. That was, if the night before was anything to go by.

Once they finished gutting the catch Starscream collected the baskets and instructed the courters to stay put while he handed it off. It wasn’t long before he returned and pulled the three bots from their seats once again.

They moved on to collecting lilleth eggs from the pen. Again, Swoop was the only one of the trio who had at least once dealt with such a thing. He was a master at carefully removing the bird from it’s nest and carefully collecting the paper light eggs. Wheeljack managed to break almost a dozen of the sensitive parcels.

Jazz couldn’t help but notice the small smiles Starscream threw at the clumsy alchemist. Jazz was sure that if anyone else were to break one of the eggs Starscream would be quick to scold. With risk to his audio receptors Jazz decided to test this theory by “accidentally” grabbing one of the eggs too hard. It popped in his hand immediately. “Whoops,” he said bluntly before brushing up the mess.

“Don’t bother with it,” said Starscream from behind him, sounding less than pleased but trying to be nice. “The birds will clean it up themselves. Just continue collecting and try not to break any more. We’re almost done here.”

Jazz hummed to himself, narrowing his eyes as he looked back to his work. Something wasn’t right with this picture, and Jazz had a sneaking suspicion as to what it was. A second later he smirked to himself.

Looks like that alchemist wasn’t as innocent as he lead people to believe. And to think, they’d only been there for a day. What a charmer.

It wasn’t long before they finished up with the lilleth eggs and Starscream took their baskets and put them back in the hut.

Next on the docket was building a hut to add to Starscream’s community. “We’ve just recently gotten a bonded pair,” he explained, searching through the arsenal of weapons he kept to one side of his hut. “They’ve requested a hut of their own so that they can try for a bitlit without the prying eyes of the clan.”  He selected a particularly long, thick bladed knife for the task. “Ah. Here we are,” he said, smiling up at the knife before looking back with a scowl at the group. “Did any of you bring any weapons?”

Jazz raised a hand. “I’ve got a few. Good for cutting down brush if that’s the intention.”

Swoop also raised a hand. “Us Dinobots always have blades.”

Wheeljack looked a bit sheepish. “I got a wrench and a laser cutter,” he said. “But wrenches ain’t too good for cutting and the other one is kinda small.”

Starscream rolled his eyes. “Of course, _you_ wouldn’t have any,” without any warning Starscream threw a blade to the alchemist, catching him off guard. Despite this, Wheeljack managed to catch the knife, unharmed. To that Starscream smirked. “Good to see your reflexes are better than your preparatory skills.”

Wheeljack smiled awkwardly. “Yeah, good thing,” he mumbled.

Starscream’s smile fell a moment later. “You two get your blades and meet me at the village border,” he instructed.

After everyone was prepared they followed Starscream's instructions and kept at the heel of their guide as they wandered into the brush and picked out a few good materials to cut from.

“Here,” Starscream said, stopping at a point in the brush where long thin pieces of metal sprouted from the ground. “We’ll pick from these,” he dictated. “Try to get ones that bend but don’t break. Not too thick, not too thin. I’m sure you’re all bright enough to figure it out.”

Starscream began inspecting, cutting away anything he found suitable for building. “We’ll need about twenty five, but I prefer to cut more for later use,” with that he let the courters go off to do their own thing. Jazz had decided to stick close to Wheeljack and  continue observing the subtle hints Starscream threw to the alchemist that he’d caught his eye.  

Jazz began to wonder if Wheeljack even _knew_ . The bot wasn’t dumb, sure, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t clueless. Especially considering the subtlety of it all. The last thing anyone would expect was for someone like _Starscream_ to catch interest on someone like _Wheeljack._

Yet, there they were.

For a moment Jazz paused in his thought. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he was just misinterpreting everything the seeker did. They were a strange race, after all, their culture and ways still shrouded in ancient mystery. It was possible this behavior was normal for the Wing Lord. Picking one member of a group as a favorite made sense considering the circumstance. Warming up to Wheeljack may just be Starscream’s way of warming up to Skyfire.

That thought sent a brief bolt of worry through Jazz. Maybe that science guy was right: Skyfire did have the upper hand on this one.

That was now, though, and Jazz was confident he’d be able to steer the Seeker towards Optimus in the future. It may take a bit of working but Jazz was a capable mech. No way was he letting the chance of gaining the _Seekers_ pass through his servos. And no way was he about to be beat out by a little inexperienced alchemist.

Jazz was pulled from his thoughts by Swoop who elbowed him in the side. “Notice too?” he inquired in a low tone. They both looked on at Wheeljack and Starscream. Starscream was taking the knife from Wheeljack’s hand and desperately trying to teach him how to use it. Wheeljack got it on about the third try but ended up having several of the metal rods topple down on him. At that Starscream laughed before helping him up. Neither Swoop nor Jazz could hear what they were saying, but the fondness in Starscream’s smile was unmistakable.

“Bit _close_ don’t you think?” Swoop suggested, nudging his fellow courter.

Jazz looked on, stone faced. “They do look like they’re getting a bit friendly.” He looked up to his larger colleague. “I think it’s a safe bet Starscream is pining for Skyfire right now.” He pat the bot on a wing before getting back to work. “Good luck shifting him over to your guy, buddy. All’s fair in love and war.”

Swoop chuckled. Obviously Jazz wasn’t seeing what Swoop saw, but he decided to keep that to himself for now. If Jazz couldn’t see it there was no use sharing. Swoop continued to work silently.

Wheeljack took the hand offered to him, not hesitating to touch the seeker this time. Before he knew it he was hauled to his feet and face to face with a smiling seeker. “You are quite useless to me, Wheeljack, how did you ever get this job?”

“To be fair, I was assigned to convince you to bond with _someone else_ , so _I_ don’t feel any need to impress you, personally.”

Starscream smiled down at him thoughtfully. “Hm,” was the only sound he made in response.

Wheeljack pointed to Starscream. “You gotta quit smiling at me,” he said. “They’re startin’ to think you’ve got a thing for me.”  He gestured to the other two with his thumb.

Starscream scoffed. “I don’t have a _thing_ for anyone. Am I not allowed to be entertained by others follies?”

“Mostly you just seem to get mad at other people’s follies.”

“Well, that just makes you strangely entertaining doesn’t it?” Starscream shot him another all too fond smile.

Wheeljack eyed him for a moment before getting back to work.

Once they had what they needed they headed back to the village. On the way Starscream handed his haul over to Swoop, instructing they all head back to the seeker huts while he went off on his own.

When they reached the village they laid down their load and took a moment to sit on the ground and rest. Wheeljack took it upon himself to separate himself from the other two courters. Jazz had been giving him a skeptical eye all day. Swoop placed himself between the two. Probably good judgement on his part.

Wheeljack, deciding he didn’t want to look  lazy in front of Starscream, decided to start organizing their rods by height. Jazz quickly caught onto this and began helping him. Swoop merely chuckled at them, remaining seated on the ground.

It wasn’t too long before they spotted Starscream emerging from the brush. Behind him he dragged a freshly hunted alloygator. The seeker grabbed an empty bucket from beside the huts. Jazz and Wheeljack stared in awe as Starscream just plopped on the ground and began tearing the gator apart with his bare hands. He squeezed out every ounce of liquid from the beast, disposing of the meat in a pile off to the side.

Wheeljack took a moment to just observe the seeker before looking around at the huts. In his mind he deconstructed the structure. They were different from the huts in Wheeljack’s own village, and even different from the rest of the buildings in Megatron’s village. It was apparent the seekers were sticklers for tradition.

Carefully, Wheeljack approached Starscream. To gain his attention Wheeljack just barely laid a hand on his shoulder. Starscream perked, turning to look at the grounder.

“Would you mind if I took a look inside your hut?” Wheeljack asked.

Starscream just stared at him for a second before asking, “Why?”

“I wanna get a good look at the structure before we start building. I’m something of a visual learner.”

Starscream shrugged. “Well if it will make you a more useful worker I don't see why not.” He stood from where he sat on the ground. “Just don't touch anything.”

“Wouldn't dream of it,” Wheeljack assured before heading off to the hut.

A little ways away Jazz watched with a skeptical eye. He found it strange that Wheeljack didn't seem to hesitate _at all_ when going to touch the seeker. Which was against the rules, as far as Jazz remembered.

Maybe this new courter would be a problem after all.

If he was so willing to disregard the rules, who knows what kind of trouble he could cause. Jazz smirked to himself. That could be good. Wheeljack ruining his tribe’s chances before Skyfire got any time alone with the intended. Jazz wouldn’t even have to do anything. Hell, if he were a dishonorable mech he may even _encourage_ the behavior. With smirk still set on his face Jazz watched as Wheeljack entered the seekers hut.

Wheeljack, as soon as he entered, took a look at the ceiling. It was covered in skins and the brush, woven tightly together. The frame was made from the pegs they’d gone to retrieve. Once Wheeljack got a good look at the frame he looked to the ground to see what was holding it in place.

With a hum Wheeljack quickly determined he’d gathered everything he needed and headed out of the hut.

Starscream was there waiting for him, eyebrow already raised. “What exactly were you doing?” he inquired, thought not in any way accusing or vexing, more curious.

“Looking at the structure,” Wheeljack explained, brushing past the seeker. “Like I said, I do better with visuals.”

Starscream ‘humphed’ following the grounder back to the piles of building materials Wheeljack and Jazz ha taken the time to organize. “Glad to see you’re not entirely inept,” Starscream muttered, grabbing one of the longest rods from the pile. “You,” he pointed to Swoop. “Bring that one over here,” he demanded, pointing to another rod almost as long as the one he already held.

Starscream gave instructions while everyone did the building. They bore holes in everything and stuck them together like that. Wheeljack was generally onto the next task before Starscream gave the order, which always seemed to prompt a scowl from Jazz.

While they worked Starscream stirred something up in the bucket he'd emptied all of the alloygators blood into earlier.

When the frame was all put together Starscream approached his workers. “Well aren't you all sufficient,” he commented, noting that it seemed to take a much shorter amount of time to raise the frame than usual. “Now to cement it together,” he said, holding up the bucket containing what appeared to be pink goo. “Wheeljack, go get me another bucket from my hut,” he requested.

Wheeljack scurried off to do as he was told, stealing a glare from Jazz as he did so. It wasn't long before be returned with an empty bucket, into which Starscream poured half his substance. “You'll cover the bottom,” he said standing up straight, “and I'll cover the top. Watch what I do,” he instructed then flying off with his bucket and coming to hover right where the diagonal middle support met the horizontal one. He scooped a heaping handful of the pink goo and slathered it thoroughly where the two supports met, closing any gaps. “The more glue the better,” he said, taking another handful and moving to the next line of crossing supports.

The hut was a circular shape. It consisted of several rods crossing each other to create something similar looking to a naked basket. All of the open holes would be covered by the brush and skin weaving coating the outside of all the huts. The frame was supported by a ring that all of the supports were stuck into.

It was a very large structure, but not nearly as big as Megatron’s hut. Once Starscream finished his part of the adhesive he retreated back into his hut to get something else. While he was gone Optimus Prime approached the busy courters as they continued to slather the glue all over the structure. “Jazz,” he greeted his wingman before looking around. “Where is Starscream?”

“Went back to the hut to get something. Whatcha need boss bot?”

“I was hoping I could talk to him.” Movement from one of the huts drew the convoy’s attention. Starscream had emerged, and was carrying with him another bucket as well as a bundle of...something. It was hard to make out what.

Starscream kept a neutral expression as he approached the suitor and dropped the haul at Optimus’ pedes. “Optimus,” he greeted stiffly. “Is there something I can do for you?”

“I was hoping you could spare a moment to talk.”

“You can talk,” Starscream said, taking a knee and cutting the twine off of the bundle with one of his talons. “I’m going to continue working.” He grabbed an armful of the large flat sheets that sprung from their holding. He hovered up to the top of the frame again, grabbing the new bucket on his way up. Optimus stood at the edge of the structure, careful not to be in Jazz or anyone else’s way.

“The other suitors and I have been talking,” Optimus explained as Starscream slathered the entire structure in glue. “And we were thinking, if you’d go along with it, that we could rotate the days you spend with us. Grimlock gets a day, I get a day, Skyfire gets a day, and so on. If you’d be willing.”

Starscream shrugged a shoulder, more concentrated on his work than on the Prime. “Sure,” he agreed noncommittally. “Certainly makes less work for me,” he placed one of the tarps over a glued up spot and roughly rubbed it into the frame, making sure it was snug against the metal. “So long as I get a day away from you each, to spend with your courters, I suppose that could work.”

Optimus took a moment to observe the men as they continued to work before turning his attention back to Starscream. “It seems you’ve put them to work.”

“Of course, what else was I supposed to do with them?”

At that Optimus merely chuckled. “I suppose I see your point,” he rumbled, somewhat entertained by the Seeker and his ways.

Starscream ignored the convoy and continued doing how work. Eventually Optimus just walked away, not seeing any reason to bother the seeker further. He could already feel himself on shaky ground with Starscream, it wouldn’t aid him to pester the seeker in any way further, considering he probably didn’t even anticipate seeing Optimus that day.

Jazz watched as his leader wandered away. The slight slump in Optimus’ shoulder suggested he didn’t quite get where he wanted to be upon speaking to Starscream. Jazz would have to rectify that.

Later, though. Now was a time for work.

And eavesdropping.

Wheeljack was talking to Starscream again.

“Ey, Starscream,” he called up to the seeker.

“What?” Starscream snapped, hardly paying attention to the grounder.

“Why do you guys build your huts like this?” Wheeljack glanced back at Megatron’s legs of the village where much more solid structures had been erected.

“My seekers are comfortable with it,” Starscream answered bluntly. “When we needed a shelter in the mountains where we once resided this sufficed. We see no need to complicate things.”

“What will you do when you need to move in with yer suitor?”

Starscream slapped down another tarp. “Build there.”

“What if they wouldn’t let you?”

“Well then, I won’t be picking that suitor now, will I?” Starscream hissed in a condescending tone, finally sparing a glance to the grounder.

“Yeah I guess not, but you’re gonna have to live in the home of your suitor.”

“So?”

“So...I dunno…” Wheeljack averted his eyes back to his work. “Just don’t seem like you’d be comfortable with that,” he mumbled.

Starscream scoffed. “I think it’s fairly evident that my comfort has never been of any concern to my ‘leader’, nor is it of great concern to my suitors.”

Wheeljack’s head shot up. “No,” he defended quickly before just as quickly sinking in on himself, not wanting to anger the seeker. “Skyfire certainly cares.”

“How noble of him,” Starscream drawled.

“I’m serious.”

“I’m sure you are. I can certainly appreciate the effort, but if you think for one second that such an accommodation is enough to make me give that shuttle my spark-”

“I don’t,” Wheeljack snapped quickly, bold enough to interrupt Starscream. “I just need you to know that you got more than one person in your boat.”

At this Starscream paused. The statement seemed to surprise the seeker, but he soon covered it with a sneer and returned to work.

Wheeljack continued to stare for a moment before slowly returning to his task.

After they finished with the hut hunters who had gone out earlier that day were just coming back with their haul and distributed the meat to the people. Seekers did their own hunting and so didn’t take anything from the the rest of the village.

“You are all free from my hold,” Starscream said to the courters. “Go enjoy your meal, I will see you again soon enough.” Starscream dismissed the courter’s with a flick of the hand.

Though slightly peeved with the condescending treatment, the courters were quick to scurry away from the seeker huts and return to their own.

Jazz rushed ahead, hardly able to wait to tell Optimus what he’d learned.

“Optimus,” he called, popping into the hut with a great entrance. “Have I got some news for you,” he smirked.

 

* * *

 

Swoop couldn’t help but chuckle as he entered their hut. Grimlock was already cooking his catch over a fire while the other dinobots completed their general duties within their own community.

“Me Swoop learn something very interesting today,” he announced, unable to stop smiling.

“Well,” Grimlock grunted. “What you Swoop learn?”

“Heh. You Grimlock not gonna like it.”

 

* * *

 

Wheeljack burst into the hut, though not entirely on purpose. As soon as he was in he practically collapsed onto his cot. “That seeker’s gonna be the death’a me.” He sat up. “An’ you too, Sky.”

Skyfire shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “Is he really that bad?”

“He’s just bitter,”

Ratchet scowled down at the courter. “Well did you at least get anything useful out of him?”

“Oh, I got something useful alright.”

 

* * *

 

“You gotta concentrate on giving him sparklings,”

 

* * *

 

“Him Starscream’s got an eye for another bot.”

 

* * *

 

“All he wants is for someone to listen to him.”

 

* * *

 

Optimus shook his head. “Jazz, please, haven’t I asked enough-”

“No no no,” Jazz defended quickly. “I’m not just tryin’a be crude, I promise. Mr. High and Mighty’s seekers been itchin’ for a carrying mech. They’ve got somethin’ goin’ on over there. Sparklings are dyin’ faster than they can create them.”

Optimus looked at him in horror. “That’s horrible!” he cried. “I can’t possibly use such a tragedy as an _advantage_.”

“You don’t have to do it explicitly. Just...give ‘em a little nudge, suggest that’s somethin’ you can give him.”

Optimus shook his head slightly, still wary. “I don’t know,” he mumbled. “We’ll see.”

 

* * *

 

Grimlock stood from his seat and stalked over to his wingman. “What you Swoop mean he has eye for another?”

“Seeker not like any of you,” Swoop smirked. “You Grimlock have to work twice as hard. Make other guy look bad, or gain extra trust. Your choice.”

Grimlock raised a brow. “Who him Starscream be looking at?”

 

* * *

 

“Wheeljack, what are you talking about?” Ratchet asked, slightly irked already.

Wheeljack sat up fully. “Look, Starscream is mean. He’s hard headed, he’s harsh, and stubborn, but he’s also angry. His seekers were massacred, their sparklings are dying, and Megatron has just thrust three suitors upon him in a courting not in line with the ‘seeker tradition.’ Damn fragger just wants someone who’ll listen. Someone who won’t try ta change his mind, or laugh at his culture, or drag him away from what he knows.” Wheeljack turned his attention to Skyfire. “So what I’m saying, basically, is keep doing what yer doin’”

Skyfire seemed to ease at those words. “Oh, thank Primus.”

Wheeljack fell back onto the berth. “He’s almost tolerable once you get to spendin’ time with him.”

Ratchet poked his companion in the center of the head. “Well don’t spend too much time with him. If you’re caught breaking the rules-”

Wheeljack swiped his hand away, sitting up again. “Yeah yeah, don’t gotta tell me a hundred times, doc. I get the deal.”

Ratchet ‘humphed,’ crossing his arms. “Sometimes I wonder.”

 

* * *

 

After everyone ate their meals and they were all tucked into their huts, ready to go to sleep, the look outs began turning down the torches.

In the center of the street stood four tall torch structures. Every night, when the dark was at it’s deepest, and there was not a mech in sight, they would be turned down through the use of a lever at hip level of the average bot. The lever released an dome which would fall over the flame, putting it out.

Once all of the flames were out and the village was illuminated with nothing but moonlight, Starscream snuck from his hut and wandered over to the mercury pond hidden deep in the brush.

It was there that he waited for nearly two hours before hearing the unmistakable sound of pede steps approaching from behind. They sounded as though they were trying to be quiet. As soon as they stopped Starscream spoke.

“You actually came.”

“You sound surprised by that,” Wheeljack said quietly, though not in a whisper.

“Somewhat,” Starscream half looked over his shoulder, though his gaze lay more on the ground. “I don’t think anyone else would have.”

Wheeljack came to sit beside him, a respectful distance away. “I think you’re right.

“So, still want to learn about the Seeker way?” Starscream scowled slightly. “Or did you learn enough from your eavesdropping?”

Wheeljack’s shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Yes, you shouldn’t have.” Starscream sighed, just a bit more dramatic than is necessary. “But now you know. I’m confident you’ll run off and tell Skyfire how to use that on the day he gets to spend time with me.”

Wheeljack just stared at the seeker for a moment, wondering how he was supposed to take the statement. “Is that what you want me to do?” he asked, knowing for sure that it _wasn’t_.

Starscream’s face sat in a hard look, as if debating with himself while trying to look stoic. “No,” he finally answered. “It isn’t.”

“Well,” Wheeljack shrugged a shoulder, “what do you want them to know?” He quickly corrected himself. “Not that you have to answer that question. I’m just here to learn about the seeker way. I’m throwin’ my ‘duties’ out the window.”

Starscream didn’t really seem to be listening, his mind stuck on the simple question. “I don’t know,” he answered. “I don’t know what I want...I’m grossly unprepared for being courted, as you already know.”

Wheeljack shrugged. ‘Well, you got time,” he muttered noncommittally. He scooched a little closer. “I’m here to learn about the Seeker way,” he said, sitting near knee to knee with the seeker. “If you’re still willing to teach me.”

Starscream side eyed him for a moment before turning his gaze back to the mercury. “What exactly do you want to know?”

“Dunno. Guess I’m curious about how courting _really_ works for you. Since it’s apparent these traditions aren’t your own.”

Starscream ‘humphed’ before turning his full attention to the grounder. “You really are curious aren’t you?” he asked, genuinely surprised.

At this Wheeljack quirked a brow. “Yeah, what’d you think I was here for?”

Starscream almost seemed taken aback by the question. “I...I honestly don’t know. Maybe you just like to live dangerously, who knows? Maybe you’re just warming me up for your suitor, trying to get on my soft side so I’ll be more likely to pick him. Maybe you just like to play with people’s feelings--”

“ _Or_ ,” Wheeljack interrupted. “Maybe I’m just a curious mech who ain’t too afraid’a being caught outta line.”

Starscream could do nothing but stare at him, his expression shocked and loose as he tried to analyze exactly what was happening in his head. “And you’re not afraid of seekers…” he practically whispered, more to himself than anyone else.

Wheeljack shrugged. “Never met a seeker. Not till now. Skyfire talked about them a lot.”

Starscream blinked, then shook away his daze. “What did he tell you?”

“Just talked about some’a the traditions, the language, what happened to them. Or at least what we all thought happened to them. Sometimes he talked about those dumb tales about the fierce, beat like nature’a you guys. Some of his old books talk about you like you’re monsters.”

Starscream, lost in his mind once again, but still listening, stared thoughtfully at his talons for a moment before quickly closing them in a fist. “Ridiculous,” he muttered.

Wheeljack leaned over slightly to look at Starscream’s face. “Are you--” he started but paused. “Are you-- self conscious about those?” he asked in disbelief.

“ _No_ ,” Starscream snapped, shooting his companion a glare.

Wheeljack leaned back slightly. “You _are_ ,” he said, knowing a lie when he heard one. A second later he eased in his amazement. “Can-” he sort of held his hand out. “Can I look at them?” he asked softly. “Don’t see many bots with claws.”

Starscream glanced at Wheeljack with his eyes a few times before handing over his hand.

It felt funny having his fingers played with. Starscream, even as a seeker, was not one for touch. He did not often find himself in hugs, or play wrestling, or sleeping piles. Never in his life had his hands been touched and dealt with with such tenderness and care.

It almost unsettled him.

Quickly he pulled his hand away.

“Sorry,” Wheeljack apologized.

“I don’t like being touched,” Starscream answered a bit too quickly, not even meaning to reveal that fact in the first place.

“Sorry,” Wheeljack apologized again.

They shared a moment of what could only be described as awkward silence.

Wheeljack eventually reset his vocalizer, readjusting himself in his seat. “So,” he started. “We gonna start the lesson?”

“What?” Starscream muttered. “Oh. Right. We’re still doing that.” He shifted so that he was fully facing Wheeljack. The grounder seemed to perk with attention. “First thing you should know is that it’s exclusive. Megatron’s rules permit me to share my berth during the courting, but Seekers prefer to remain abstinent until bonding. It is not a necessity, but many prefer it. We rely more on air skill than gifts to win a bond, and tend to prove ourselves in our flight capabilities with many aerial shows. My people like to show off.” Starscream smirked. “And they have every right to.”

Starscream read the smile in Wheeljack’s eyes when he mumbled. “I’m sure they do.”

Starscream’s smirk fell before he continued. “We also don’t do all of this,” he sneered, gesturing himself. “The paint. It’s uncomfortable, and invasive,” he eyed the small circle between his legs particularly. “It is also forbidden, during the courting, to speak any of the languages outside of the normal Seeker Dialect. The acceptable forms of communication are wing, flight, Vosian, and--” Starscream made a noise, apparently to indicate a language that had no spoken name. It was something of a rattling hum, unlike anything Wheeljack had heard before.

“Huh,” Wheeljack smiked. “Didn’t know there were so many languages in seeker culture.”

“Of course, I wouldn’t expect anyone to. Most aren’t even capable of speaking them and some have been lost with my people...I believe I am one of the few who can speak all four fluently. There hasn’t been much time for education or courting since we were forced from our home. I’ve concentrated more on teaching my people to speak the languages of Megatron’s clan.” Starscream scowled. “It’s a stupid language,” he mumbled. “Doesn’t even make any sense.”

“It is a dumb language,” Wheeljack agreed, remembering when he had to learn it. “ _Way_ different from Tarnish.”

“I like Tarnish, for the most part, I like the way it rolls off the glossia. Do you prefer to speak in that?”

Wheeljack lifted a brow. “You speak it?”

“I speak everything,” Starscream said bluntly.

Wheeljack muttered. “Well, guess you’d have to, considering how much you’ve had to move.”

Starscream sneered. “Yes, considering.” A second later he stood up. “I’m getting tired,” he said quickly, already nearly on the path back to the village. “I think we should be done for tonight.” He paused, taking a moment to consider whether he should look back or not.

He decided not. “I will see you tomorrow, Wheeljack,” he rattled off quickly.

Starscream left the grounder sitting there beside the Mercury pool, a whole new level of confusion falling over his face.

That was...abrupt.

Unconsciously Wheeljack turned his attention to his hand. The light feeling of claws still lingered on his plating from where he’s let Starscream’s hand rest in his own. He closed his fist, looking back to the last spot Starscream stood, hoping he could feel the tingle of those hands on his at least once more.

 


	4. The Chief

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eyyy, look whats back.

Starscream stretched and laid in bed staring at the ceiling. He blinked the sleep from his eyes and rubbed them with the balls of his hands. For a while he just laid there not deigning to get up and go spend the day with one of his intended suitors. Optimus Prime had volunteered to be the first suitor Starscream take a day with. He was probably outside the hut right now, aft crack of dawn, waiting for his beauty to wander out and into his arms so they may take a romantic hunting trip or Optimus could spend the day lifting barrels over his head to show off his strength. 

Starscream sat up, taking in a deep vent as he did. No no. That was more something the Dynobots would do. No, Optimus was more likely to sit in the center of the village and share his clans poetry and traditions. Seemed like a sentimental mech, that one. 

Starscream rose from his cot and wandered over to the small washing basin set on his brothers side of the hut. He dipped his hands into the solution and scrubbed it over his face to better wake himself and clear the grime from his seams. With a tallon he picked a bit of dirt from the corner of his optic, flicking it off onto his cheek before brushing it off with his hand. 

“Are you going out?” Sunstorm muttered from beside him, his voice still staticy from sleep. Sunstorm rolled over and tucked his head to his chest so he could look at Starscream. 

Starscream scoffed. “unfortunately.” 

“They don't seem that bad.” 

“You don't have to bond to one of them.”

“Better reason to start thinking they're not that bad.” 

Starscream scoffed again. He scratched at the paint decorating his cheek. 

“Don't so that too much,” Sunstorm said. “you'll scratch it off.” 

“Good,” Starscream spat. “who cares. It's not like it's our tradition.” 

“You gave your word-” 

“Don't tell me what I did,” Starscream snapped, throwing s glare to his brother. “I know what I told Megatron. I know.” 

“And yet you seem so bitter about it.”

“I am bitter about it.” 

“Well try not to show it too much.” 

“Don't tell me what to do.” 

Starscream grabbed his cloak from beside the arsenal wall and wrapped it over his shoulders, hiding his downtrodden wings. Grounders had a fascination with wings. The last thing he wanted was for Optimus to become distracted. Maybe without something to look at Starscream would get to see how truly impressive or unimpressive this leader was. 

Starscream shoved his way out of the hut and walked out into the still dark morning. The sun was just beginning to peak over the trees. Hunters were leaving their huts in Megatron's village, kissing their bonded and bitlits goodbye and carrying a spear in their hand and a knife on their back. Or a bow. Some even carried guns. But those made so much noise and were such clunky things the hunters rarely used them. Not unless they were on for a large kill, then one may be carried along. 

It would still be another hour until Starscream's hunters would make it out. There had been an agreement, too long ago, that Megatron's hunters would have lay of the land first before the Seekers could go out for their hunt. Starscream drew his cloak tighter around his shoulders. He wandered about the village. It wasn't often seekers made their way to the village, but Starscream's was a common face. Considering how much time he spent with Megatron. 

Starscream wandered to the other side of the village where the suitors huts were placed. They each had their crests set on poles beside the door. Starscream walked to the center hut and tugged at the tarp over Optimus door. He stepped back when a hand emerged to shove it aside, and out stepped Optimus Prime. 

The chief rubbed one of his eyes, sleep still hanging in the other. “Starscream,” he said, his tone pleasant and inviting. “How may I help you?”

“It’s your day,” Starscream said. “I’d assumed you’d want an early start.”

“Do you normally get up this early?”

“Earlier. But I’ve left my brother to tend to the seekers. He’s not up yet.”

“How do you tend to your Seekers?”

Starscream scoffed, flicking a hand and turning to the side. “That’s unimportant. You’re here to impress me, remember?”

“I suppose that’s true.”

“The most you need to know about Seekers is that they don’t tend to like kind like you,” Starscream glanced at the bot, scanning him up and down. “So I suggest you stay away.”

“I didn’t mean any offense.”

“I’m sure you didn’t.”

Optimus gestured to the door of his hut. “May I have a moment to freshen up before we get going?”

“You get one moment.”

“And how long is that to you?”

“I guess we’ll find out, won’t we?”

Optimus lowered his hands. “Yes, I suppose we will,” he retreated back into the hut. Starscream crossed his arms and waited, cocking a hip as he did. His talons tapped atop the side of his arm, thrumming a pattern of impatience. It was two minutes before Optimus emerged again, not looking any different besides the leech on his shoulder. Starscream leaned over slightly to get a better look at the black and white bot hanging off of Optimus side. It must have been his lookout, or watcher, or whatever in the world his title was. The bot put in charge of making sure the suitor wasn’t taking part in any funny business. 

Starscream couldn’t remember the bots name. 

Optimus gestured him. “Prowl,” he said. “My handler. He will accompany us, as outlined by the rules.” 

“I know what he’s here for,” Starscream said. “You’re not the only one who read those stupid things. Now do you have anything planned or not?”

“I did. I was hoping we could take a walk. Get to know eachother a little.” 

“Oh did you?”

“If it pleases you- intended.” 

“You’re supposed to come up with that, aren’t you?”

Optimus blinked at him. Starscream waved a hand in the air. “The things that please me,” he clarified. Optimus still didn’t seem to be getting it, frozen with slightly wide eyes. His mouth was probably hanging open under that stupid mask of his. Starscream puffed a scoff, letting his hand fall back to his thing. “Oh come on,” he said. “You can’t tell me your courter is truly that horrible at his job.”  

Optimus perked. “Oh!” he called. “Oh, yes, I see,” he chuckled. It sounded forced. “It is his job to tell me what would impress you isn’t it?”

“Why yes, I just said that didn’t I?” Starscream said in something of an airy tone. Some might even call it condescending or exasperated. Either would be appropriate. 

But of course the great Optimus Prime was not to be deterred. The bot didn’t even fidget at being knocked down a few pegs, no, he just had to stand there and look entertained, didn’t he? Stupid fragger. 

“I’d hoped through dialogue I could impress,” Optimus said. “You don’t seem the type to be fooled by brute strength alone,” He briefly held his arm up as if to demonstrate that he did possess said strength.   

“Alone,” Starscream drawled. “You make it sound like it would impress me at all.”

“Ah ha,” Optimus said, his eyes smiling. He flicked a pointed finger towards Starscream. “Seems I’ve learned something.”

“Yes,” Starscream drawled. “But maybe if you’d had more ept help you’d have learned that yesterday.”

Optimus lowered his triumphant hand. He cocked his head. “That could be true.” he said. “Though from what I’ve heard you didn’t even let my courter’s speak yesterday.”

“That’s a lie. I let them speak, only when I told them to. And a good courter should be observant enough to learn about me without me having to say things outright. In fact, I think I’ve done too much talking already.”

“And I assume I haven’t done much to impress.”

“Nothing in fact.”

“I should get to it then, shouldn’t I?”

Starscream simply nodded. It was unlikely Starscream would keep his mouth shut for the day. No, not unlikely. It wasn’t going to happen. Starscream knew that well enough already. He followed Optimus and they walked about the village. Optimus spoke, not of anything Starscream thought he’d care about. 

“I am glad we are not fighting,” Optimus said. “It is a rare time in our land. I’m hoping this ritual will bring permanent peace like this.”

Starscream scoffed, but said nothing. Optimus continued to talk. “My clan is laying down roots,” he said, his hand playing with the brush at the edge of the village. “As is Megatron I see,” he glanced at Starscream, probably expecting a response. For that Starscream gave him none.

Optimus turned his attention back to the brush. “My home is being built as we speak. It seems most of the clans are laying down where they last rested. Your village is well established.”

“Megatron’s,” Starscream muttered in a drawl.

“What was that?”

Starscream vaguely gestured the structures they walked behind. “This is no village of mine.”

“Ah. You laid down roots ages ago, didn’t you? Your people?”

“Yes, farther back than any of us can remember.”

“Where are you in the line?”

“Fourth. My ancestors were idiots.”

“How so?”

Starscream looked at Optimus. 

“None of your business,” Starscream said. He looked straight ahead. “That’s my people’s history, you grounders have no business getting your grimey hands on it.” 

“I didn’t mean to offend.”

“You never do.”

“May I ask, though. Is it not your goal to right the wrong history written about you?”

“It’s not my job, nor is it an obligation of mine. I don’t care what clods outside my Seeker’s think. Thinking of us as wild animals with a thirst for blood kept outsiders away for years.” 

“So what happened?”

“Nothing you need to concern yourself with.”

Optimus stared straight ahead. “Alright.” 

For a while they just walked. They took a turn about the village in silence. Optimus really wasn’t doing much to prove himself to Starscream. The slacker. He didn’t have anything, did he? As if small talk could be used as anything more than an inconvenience. 

After one turn Optimus stopped. He looked to Starscream for a moment, who scowled back at him. Optimus expression was unreadable. 

“Take your mask off,” Starscream said. 

Optimus did it. His mask retracted, the rest of him unmoving. His mouth rested in a hard line, his eyes bright with thought. “Would you like to go fishing?” Optimus asked. 

Starscream furrowed his brow at him. “Fishing?” he asked. 

Optimus gestured somewhere in the woods with his head. “There’s a lake over there, isn’t there?”

Starscream scoffed. “Not a lake with anything impressive in it.”

“Is there a river?”

“I’ll wait for you to find it.”

“Would that impress you?”

“I guess you’ll have to find one and see.”

“I guess I will.”

“I’ll be in my home while you look,” Starscream said, already heading off back to his hut. Optimus made no move to stop him, instead heading right into the brush. Starscream half glanced over his shoulder, trying to keep it discreet as he watched Optimus dip into the wood. Prowl followed, keeping an eye on Starscream’s back as he did. Starscream stopped once they were out of sight, his pedes kicking up a small cloud of dust where they shuffled to rest.

Starscream wanted to move. But his pedes felt heavy, cemented to the ground. Starscream shook his head. He forced his pedes to move and made his way back to his leg of the village. He wiped the tarp aside and crept into his hut, hands clasped behind his back. Sunstorm looked up from where he was cleaning bones. “You’re back already,” he said. “I’ve barely gotten anyone up.”

“Have you checked on the sparklings?” Starscream asked, taking the cloak from around his shoulders and hanging it back up. 

“I did. No improvements.”

“Not even anything small?”

“I’d say they’re getting worse.”

Starscream turned sharply to his brother. “Then why aren’t you in there doing something about it?”

Sunstorm shrugged, continuing to clean the bones. His gaze resting half lidded and dead he answered. “I’ve told you. There’s nothing I can do anymore. We need a real medic and- well-” Sunstorm lifted a bone towards his shoulder, his gaze following it. He shook his head. “I’m just not that,” he looked back to his work. “The parents wanted some alonetime with their bitlits before they pass.”

“They will not pass.”

Sunstorm scoffed. “Don’t be so stupid,” he half whispered sharply. “Can’t you let them grieve in peace without trying to give everyone false hope?” 

“What do you want me to give them?” Starscream snapped back. 

Sunstorm twisted to his feet, marching to his brother in a few swift steps. “I want you to give the a solution. That’s your job.”

“I can’t solve every problem.” 

“You’re not even trying to solve these problems,” Sunstorm shoved his brother. “You just keep acting like they don’t exist!” 

“I lead us here didn’t I!?” Starscream shoved his brother. “I found us a home,” another shove. “I kept us safe,” he shoved his brother to the ground. “I’ve kept all of our traditions and our pride in tact! You think it’s easy righting every wrong those idiots left us with!” 

Sunstorm sprung to his feet. “We are dying out Starscream!”

“We’ve always been dying out!”  

Sunstorm tackled his brother. A mess of limbs and talons swiped at eachother’s necks and faces. Starscream bit his brother on the arm as they rolled around on the ground. Sunstorm yelped and bit his brother right back. 

Someone loudly cleared their throat at the entrance to the main hut. Sunstorm and Starscream paused. They looked up to see Thundercracker standing at the door. “Starscream,” he acknowledged. “And- Sunstorm.”

The siblings quickly untangled themselves and stood up. Starscream brushed the dust from his thigh. “What is it Thundercracker,” he asked. 

“The clan would like to have a meeting.”

“About the courting I’m sure,” Starscream muttered. He sighed. “Alright, let's get this over with.” He brushed past his wing mate and into the main hut where a majority of the Seekers were gathered. They stood at the edges and sat on the ground on one side of the main fire, leaving the other half for Starscream, his brother, and his wingmates. Starscream sat while the other three stood. 

“Alright everyone, settle down,” he said to the crowd. The chatter of the room stopped. Fussy sparklings were shushed by their parents as all eyes turned to the wing lord. 

Starscream looked around. He took in a deep vent. “Now,” he said. “I’m sure we’re all curious about this courting business. And for any of you who don’t leave our ground, yes, it’s true. I’m being courted in a deal between Megatron’s clan and others,”

Muttered chatter filled the room. Wide eyes exchanged glances, lips barely moving, trying to keep their voices low. It got louder, however, until the room was animated. “Not right,” someone yelled. “To give away our wing lord!”

Starscream put his hands up. “Yes, yes,” he said, pressing his palms to the wall of words. “Quiet. Be quiet everyone,” he demanded. The room quieted down. All eyes on him again. Starscream waited a moment, scanning the room. “Alright,” he said, sharp gaze meeting their eyes. “I know this is- unorthodox. But the deal I made with Megatron makes me part of his clan so long as we continue to use his land as sanctuary. That means, Wing Lord or not, I do what he tells me to in this regard. And others.”

“What happens to us?” Someone called in the crowd. 

“You come with me as you always have. Their village will be our permanent home. We’ll be protected under two clans then. We’ll have medics, an army, food, supplies, a place to rest. And people will leave us alone.”

Chatter started up in the room again. Starscream could hear bits of conversation. About the suitors, the scandal of bonding with a grounder. Their winglord of all people, forced to have bitlits with a machine stuck to the ground. Skywarp called to the crowd. “There is one suitor with wings,” All attention turned to him. The room erupted, calling to action, for Starscream to get the courting done with as if it were a no brainer. The winged one, they cried, why not pick the winged one. Starscream climbed to his feet. He scowled at his wingmate who retreated slightly behind his partner who stood like a rock rolling it’s eyes. 

Starscream quieted the room again. “It is for me to decide. Who I choose to bond with will be determined by how much they can do for us. Do we all understand that?” 

Starscream was run up on by a smaller more nimble bot. He whispered into Starscream’s ear. Starscream’s eyes popped open. “You can’t be serious,” he muttered. Starscream shook his head. “This meeting is adjourned,” he called, marching out of the room. He rushed through his hut and to the door. Shoving the tarp aside he found Optimus Prime standing before the door and waiting for him. On his shoulder he hauled an enormous Nitro-fish, with long whiskers and still flapping gills spilling with mercury. It’s shiny pink and black scales bright in the morning sun. 

Starscream’s eyes opened wide. His gaze turned to Optimus who was shining in the highly reflective mercury. He heaved heavy vents. After a moment he took in a deep one, and took a knee before Starscream, presenting to the Wing Lord his catch. Starscream stood straight, moving his pede away from the mercury that was dripping from the fish. 

Starscream’s wings twitched. A head peaked out from behind him to see what the ruckus was about. Then another and another. A few more bodies crowded Starscream’s wings to catch a glance at the impressive fish laid about the suitor’s knee. 

Optimus bowed his head. “Wing Lord Starscream. I offer you this gift of my skill and affections. If it pleases you.” 

Starscream could only stand there frozen. Until someone elbowed him in the side. Starscream shot a glare to Thundercracker before looking back to Optimus. Starscream cleared his throat, standing up straight. He walked out of the hands gripping his sides, wings, and shoulders. He looked down at Optimus. 

“I accept your offer,” Starscream said. “But know that most of my Seekers won’t touch it.” 

Optimus looked at him. Starscream couldn’t see his face through that stupid mask again. But it seemed contemplative. Instead of saying anything, though, Optimus pushed the fish forward, presenting it more directly. Starscream put a hand up and snapped his fingers, gaze continuing to rest on Optimus’ face. Two seekers rushed forward and took the fish from his hands, their wings flared, and frames tight. They snatched the fish and dragged it inside. 

Once it was gone Optimus stood. He offered a hand to Starscream. Behind him everyone at the door hissed. Starscream could hear their wings rattling. He put a hand up. The noise stopped. 

Optimus spoke. “Shall I show you to the river?”

Starscream stared at the hand. Then back to Optimus face. Starscream scoffed. “Is that the largest one you could catch?” he asked, his lip twisting in a sneer. He brushed past Optimus and his handler. “Well come on,” he said. “Bring me to this river you’ve found. I’m sure it’s not anything to rave about.”

Optimus followed, taking pace beside the Seeker. He lead Starscream to the river and they spent their day fishing.

* * *

 

 

“I did end up catching a larger one,” 

“Do Seekers do this every night?”

“Every night. I usually help my brother, Sunstorm.”

Wheeljack studied the scale in his hands, twisting it about. He twitched when Starscream’s sharp tallens brushed a sensitive wire in his back. 

“Stop squirming,” Starscream said, picking the dirt from his seams.

“Now- ow- Now, what’s the different-  _ yeow _ -” Wheeljack jumped when one of his wire was thrumbed by abscenely sharp claws. Starscream put a hand to the back of Wheeljack’s head and shoved it forward. 

“I told you to stop squirming,” Starscream said, digging his tallon back into a crevice. 

“I can’t help it. I don’t usually got someone digging in my seams like this. Is this the only way you clean yourselves?”

Starscream scoffed. “No, of course not. We’re not animals. We take oil or mercury baths like everyone else.” 

“Then why do you do this?”

“It’s tradition. It’s a bonding thing, something that indicates trust. I hate it.”

“Why do you hate it?”

“Because it requires someone touching me. I’ve never been fond of that. But I can’t deny my own brother,”

“Well ya could.”

“I could. But it’s one of those things, ya know? One of those things that doesn’t seem like a big deal but is, apparently. Another stupid thing our ancestors carried to the clan.”

“More than one?” 

“Everyone’s ancestors did something stupid to muck up the lives of those who come after.” 

Wheeljack scoffed. “Yeah, I can vouch for that,” he muttered. He held up the pink and black scale again and looked at it in the moonlight. He twisted it around. One side black, one side pink. “So how big do these things get, average, would you say.”

“Not much bigger than the one I hauled out of the mercury earlier today. I can let you see the skeleton the next time you all drop by for an uninvited visit.”

“That would be cool. They only grow in the big streams?”

“Something of that size needs a large area to grow in.”

Wheeljack looked to the lake beside them. “Anything live in here?”

“Just lobsters and small fish. Sometimes leeches will make a home on the other side.”

“It more swamply over there?”

“A bit.” 

Wheeljack lowered the scale to his lap. “Okay, I got a question,” he said, slightly glancing over his shoulder. “What’s the difference between a wing mate and and a brother?”

“A brother shares your spark, a wing mate is those you fly with.”

“Can your wing mate also be your brother?”

“Technically yes, but generally no. Wing Mates are supposed to create bonds within the group. It creates a trine that works swiftly and efficiently. Most siblings won’t make trines.”

“Why not?”

Starscream leaned over so his head hovered right over Wheeljack’s shoulder. 

“Tell me the last time you saw two siblings getting along,” Starscream said. 

Wheeljack glanced off to the side. He itched at his finial. “Alright, fair point.”

Starscream leaned back and continued the work he was doing in Wheeljack’s seams. 

“It’s also a command issue. If my tine goes down in battle and can no longer give orders my brother automatically takes over as Wing Lord. Temporarily if I’m not dead.”

“Ooooh,” Wheeljack held out, giving a wide nod. “Alright, that makes sense. Now what if you are in the same trine, then who takes over?”

“That’s the problem, we don’t really have anyone for that. We should but we don’t. Maybe we did at some point but even I’ve forgotten who at this point.”

“Oh. Huh.” 

Starscream finished picking at Wheeljack’s back. Once all of the dirt was out he dusted the plating with his fingers. “You’re all clean,” Starscream said, climbing to his feet. “And we should probably get back.”

Wheeljack stood. “Alright,” he said, turning to face the intended. “See you tomorrow I guess,” he held out the fish scale to give back. Starscream put a hand up at it. “Keep it,” he said before starting back towards the path. “Not like I need it, I’ve got plenty. Just tell them you found it or something.”

Wheeljack looked down at the shiny scale. He turned it so it sparkling in the light. When he looked back to the path Starscream was gone. Wheeljack looked back at the scale. It was truly beautiful. Much like the hand that had given it to him. 


	5. The Scientist

Another day another day. 

Starscream sat up and climbed from his sleeping space. He stretched, wincing as the wires snapped back into place on his back. He shuttered, ruffling his plating and puffing the air out of his seams. He wandered over to the water basin and scrubbed his face again. Beside him Sunstorm didn’t stir. Starscream wandered over and lightly nudged him with his foot. “Get up,” he said. 

Sunstorm groaned, swatting a hand at the foot that prodded him. It sounded as though he was trying to say something but no words made it through his grumbles. Starscream rolled his eyes to the ceiling. He kicked his brother harder. “Get up,” he demanded. “You run this place while I’m gone you deadbeat.”

Sunstorm rolled back over, swatting again at Starscream. 

“Five more minutes,” he insisted. “And quit kicking me.”

Starscream put his hands on his hips and leaned over a bit. “I’d stop kicking you if you’d get up.”

“Don’t you have suitors to be fragging?”

Starscream scoffed, standing up straight. He lifted his lip to a sneer before walking away. “Ingrate,” he muttered, stomping to the entrance to their hut. He flung the tarp aside and stomped out into the yard, only to be stopped short by a hulking mass right outside the door. Starscream blinked, his eyes taking a moment to focus on what was in front of him. Then he looked up and found a gray smiling face staring down at him. 

“Sorry,” Skyfire said in Vosnian, taking a step back. “I didn’t know if you’d be up this early.”

Starscream glanced to the brush, finding the sun halfway above the trees. He looked back to Skyfire. “Earlier,” he said. “Usually. I didn’t assume you’d be up this early.”

“We like to get an early start.” 

“Your clan?”

Skyfire nodded. “The alchemists usually go out to collect their specimen around this time.” 

Starscream lifted a brow, trying to keep the scowl off the other half of his lip. “Oh, is it a good time?”

“Both creatures of night and day are out, generally,” he held up a small container pulled from his subspace. Some purple rose in his cheeks as he smiled a crooked smile. “I actually collected some. If you were interested at all.” 

“I’m afraid science isn’t really my forte.”

Skyfire tucked th container back in his subspace. “I was hoping we could go flying. If that sounds good to you.”

Starscream stifled a smile. He crossed his arms and brushed past the shuttle. “I suppose,” Starscream drawled. He flicked a hand out, shrugging and half glancing over his shoulder. “A nice fly would be fine. Though I don’t like the idea of you dragging me down.”

Skyfire turned to face the seeker. “I think you’ll find I’m faster than I look.”

Someone scoffed. Skyfire and Starscream turned to look at Ratchet standing at the side of them. “Just don’t go too far,” he said. “So I can still see you.”

Starscream scoffed. “Oh please,” he muttered. He walked over and poked the medic in the chest. “It’s your job to make sure your man doesn’t interface with anyone other than me,” Starscream threw a smirk to Skyfire before looking back to Ratchet. 

“So if Skyfire and I wanted to do the deed in the air there’s nothing stopping us.” 

Ratchet half sneered. He looked the Seeker in the eye, lips primed to say something. He forced them down and looked between the two fliers. He pointed to Skyfire. “Stay where I can see you,” he said again. 

Skyfire, who’s face had been consumed by a purple hue, nodded. Starscream puffed a laugh, wandering back over to his suitor. “Well, let’s get this over with then,” he said before leaping into the sky and transforming. Skyfire stayed  behind for a moment and watched. Starscream twisted into the sky, leaving a gray trail behind him. “Wow,” Skyfire vented. 

Ratchet watched with him. “They are certainly a sight to behold,” he muttered. “You’d better get up there.”

Skyfire blinked, suddenly finding himself back in reality. “What? Oh! Oh right, yup, got it. Here I go.” he leaped into the sky and transformed, his thrusters creating a heavy gust that brushed up the loose dust into Ratchet’s face. The medic sneered, brushing off his plating before turning his attention back to the sky. 

Starscream went up high. He stopped and transformed back into his bipedal mode, waiting for Skyfire to catch up with him before taking off again. The shuttle, moving at a greater speed than Starscream had anticipated, transformed, but continued traveling upwards for a few feet. Starscream puffed a scoff before taking off. He dipped and did a loop, staying in his bipedal mode. He came to hover to one side of Skyfire, crossing his arms as he looked the shuttle up and down. “So,” Starscream drawled. “What impressive feat have you set up for me today?” Starscream asked, disinterest thick in his tone. 

Skyfire moved slightly towards Starscream. 

“I’ll be honest,” Skyfire said, still speaking Vosnian. “I don’t have much.”

Starscream hummed. “You’re off to a great start, aren’t you?”

Skyfire smiled, his eyes dipping a bit with embarrassment. “Oh, I know,” he said. “But I’m sure you don’t want to hear about it.”

Starscream came closer until his body was near pressed to Skyfire’s. The shuttle stiffened. Starscream smirked. “Oh, I’m not unwilling to talk,” Starscream said, wading his head. “I enjoy conversation with someone who can speak to me in my own language.”

“Well I’m happy to provide that.”

“So keep talking, shuttle.”

Skyfire smiled, his eyes brightening. “I was chosen by my clan to come here,” he started. Starscream leaned away and they got to moving. Like a walk, but a thousand feet in their air. Starscream held his hand behind his back, talons digging lightly into his wrist as he listened. Skyfire had a lot to say, apparently. And Starscream found himself surprised by how willing he was to listen. 

“It isn’t that I didn’t want to come. It is a great honor. Truly. But it’s nerve wracking. My clan’s future rests on my shoulders, trying to impress you. And as you’ve probably noticed, I’m not that impressive.”

“Some would argue otherwise,” Starscream muttered, his gaze set on a hut below. 

“What do you mean?” Skyfire asked. 

“I mean, you’ve got wings. For many Seekers that should be enough.”

“But not for you.” it wasn’t quite a question. Or a statement. It wasn’t anything, it just sounded like words. 

“No. I have to consider my Seeker’s future,” Starscream said. “Though, I can see your leader’s thought process. Who is he again? Cyclonus?”

Skyfire nodded. “That’s right. He was once a great warrior before he settled down and started his own tribe, getting himself out from under Galvatron.”

Starscream hummed. “I hear Galvatron is a powerful leader.”

“And merciless.”

“Yes, that too.”

“That’s why we were so eager to accept this invitation. If our clan bonds with yours we’ll have an army to protect us from Galvatron.”

“Didn’t you just say Cyclonus was a great warrior.”

“A great warrior with a clan of medics and alchemists.”

“Not much for fighting are you?”

Skyfire shook his head. “We can,” he said. “I myself am a warrior as much as a scientist. But a few fit fighters aren’t enough to take on an army.”

“And you’re a fit fighter?”

“I’d like to hope.”

“So, besides the wings, is there any other reason you were chosen?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. If there is no one ever told me. I was hardly even told this would be happening, I was bonked on the head by a sword and pointed towards the door. Just like everyone else in my group.”

“Oh, so you’ve all been brought here against your will.”

“I wouldn’t say that exactly.” 

“Can you speak any language besides Vosnian?

“I’ve been learning the speak of the wing.”

“Oh have you,” Starscream drawled. “And who is teaching you that? Not books I hope.”

“No, our clan leader. He spent a great deal of time with the Seekers. He’s the one who helped me learn Vosnian as well. He learned it from the Seekers themselves when they were hidden in the mountains.”

At that Starscream perked. His wings twitched, his eyes wide. “On the mountain?” he said. “What was he doing there?”

“This was ages ago, maybe even before your time. He was sent to find the Seekers and raid their village. Steal their young and their carriers to breed for Galvatron and fight in his armies.”

Starscream sneered. “Disgusting,” he spat. 

“He reported back to Galvatron and the armies and told them there was nothing to find. When he fled that’s where he went.” 

Starscream’s sneer rested slightly. “Humph. Your clan leader sounds like an honorable mech.” 

“Honor is the most important thing to us,” Skyfire looked at Starscream, still staring down at the scene below. Skyfire scanned the bot up and down before speaking again. “And respect,” he said. “And privacy. I believe those are important within your clan as well, right?”

“To the Seekers yes. Megatron not so much.”

Skyfire spoke slightly softer. “I was wondering why you wore those markings,” he said. “To my knowledge they’re not from Seeker culture.”

“They’re not. They’re Megatron’s. I hate them.”

“I can imagine you would. It seems quite invasive.”

“It is.” 

“I’m sorry you’ve been forced to do that.”

Starscream gave a long sigh, turning his head to the sky and closing his eyes. “I do what I must,” he muttered, letting his gaze fall forward. “And I must do this. I wonder, Skyfire, if you can answer a question for me.”

“Sure, whatever you want.”

Starscream worked his jaw. He looked at Skyfire for a moment before asking. “Do you really want to bond with me?”

Skyfire’s head snapped back a little before he leaned forward. “I don’t understand.” he said. 

“I mean, if this were a different time. Under different circumstances. Do you think you would fall in love with me?”

Skyfire blinked, his jaw fell open but his lips remained sealed. “I don’t know,” he said, shaking his head. “I think that remains to be seen. Is that important to you?”

“What? Love?” Starscream scoffed, turning his head away. “Of course not,” he muttered. 

Skyfire stopped. Starscream stopped a few paces ahead. For a moment Skyfire just stared. “Is it?” He asked. “Because if it is I can- try. To win your affection of that manner.”

Starscream scoffed again. “This is nothing but a responsibility. Love or not it’s our duty.”

Skyfire hovered closer. “And why not try to get the best out of it?”

Starscream looked up at the bot. He shook his head. “But you never could love me, could you? Not like this.”

“I’ll keep my original answer.”

“It remains to be seen.”  

Skyfire nodded slow. “It remains to be seen,” he said. 

Starscream smirked, cocking his head a bit and side eyeing Skyfire. 

“I guess we should stop wasting time then.” 

In one swift movement Starscream swooped down and transformed as he rose back up. Skyfire watched for a moment, mesmerized, before following suit. For a while they flew, over the forest, all the way to the mountains. They raced, twisting through the air so the cloud flowing off their tails twirled together in a beautiful display. It was late when they finally touched back down. 

When they did Ratchet promptly smacked Skyfire in the head with his wrench. 

“I told you not to go too far,” Ratchet said. “Where have you two been? It’s been hours, I lost sight of you.”

Starscream rolled his eyes. “Oh calm down,” he groaned. “You’re overreacting.”

Ratchet scowled at Starscream. 

“With all due respect, Lord Starscream,” he spat. “I’m trying to do my job. The next time you two go up I’m coming with you.”

Starscream smirked. “Be my guest,” he mumbled, slicking a hand out and wandering back towards his hut. “It was fun Skyfire, have a nice night.”

Skyfire lifted a weak hand. “You as well.” 

Skyfire watched with a crooked smile as Starscream meandered back to his hut. Skyfire’s lingering gaze was interrupted by another smack to the head. With a frown he rubbed the sore spot with his hand and looked at Ratchet, who was still scowling. 

Ratchet wagged the wrench at Skyfire. “Don’t get any ideas,” he said. 

Skyfire put on a light smile. “Come on Ratchet,” he said. “I know the rules.”

Ratchet crossed his arms. “And you still managed to break them.”

Skyfire shrugged. “We didn’t do anything. Starscream didn’t seem worried.”

Ratchet scoffed. “That seeker doesn’t seem inclined to follow the rules,”

They walked as they talked. 

“Which is fair,” Skyfire said. “Considering. I honestly don’t expect him to pay any real mind to the “rules” outlined for him by a clan that isn’t even his own.”

“To my understanding this little “deal” he’s got set up with Megatron does obligate him to follow the rules.”

Skyfire shrugged. “Well, to each his own,” he muttered. 

Ratchet shoved the tarp aside and held it for Skyfire. Laying on one of the cots was Wheeljack. His legs hung halfway off of it. He stared at the ceiling as he threw a ball in the air and caught it. 

“So, how’d it go?” he asked. 

Skyfire sat on his own cot. “I think it went well,” he said. “We had a great time. We went flying, I spoke Vosnian the entire time.”

“Oh great, sounds like you’re well on your way then.”

Ratchet scoffed. “That doesn’t mean you can start slacking off.”

“That doesn’t mean you can start slacking off,” Wheeljack repeated in a mocking voice. “Listen, doc, you don’t gotta worry one bit about me. Starscream ain’t hard.”

Ratchet scoffed. 

“What?” Wheeljack said. “He’s not.” 

“And how would you know?”

Wheeljack sat up, letting the ball he was tossing fall back to the bed. “I spent time with him. Like you told me to. I told you already, he just wants someone to listen to him,” Wheeljack stood and wandered over to Skyfire. “Sounds like our boys got that down pat.” 

Ratchet scoffed again. “If you’re so sure.” he waved a hand on front of his face. “Anyways. Do we have anything to eat this evening?”

Wheeljack gestured the door. “Did you miss the fire outside?”

“You weren’t tending to it?”

“Don’t gotta, it’s controlled. I got a timer.”

“What’s it cooking?”

“Fish head.”

Ratchet furrowed his brow. “You went fishing.”

“No, Seekers shared it with us. I don’t fish.”

“I know you don’t, that’s why I was confused.” 

Wheeljack ignored Ratchet and headed out of the hut. Over their central fire was a fish head stuck on a pole and rolling over a blue flame. The eye dried and seared in it’s hole. The fish had been stripped of it’s black and yellow scales which sat in a pile collecting light in a basket beside the fire. The raw skin of the fish shriveled and burned where it touched the fire. 

Ratchet took a seat on the ground, Wheeljack claimed the seat beside him. Skyfire plucked the fish from it’s hinges and stuck one end of the pole in the ground in the center of the group. They picked off of it as they discussed the courting, as well as the situation back home and everyone’s latest experiments. While Skyfire chewed on the rubbery sliver of the gill he inspected one of the scales. 

“Beautiful,” he said. “Have you tested yet to see what they’re made of?”

“There are traces of tungsten, but that don’t make up the whole thing,” Wheeljack said. “I ran marginal tests, didn’t bring up much. Ain’t a biologist like you.”

“Yes, you were always more inclined to build things,” Skyfire said, carefully placing the scale back with the rest. 

“Like this rig of yours,” Ratchet said, referring to the small device that had turned been turning the fish head over the fire. “Where’d you find the materials for the belt?”

“Back same place Scream and me and the other courters gathered supplies to build a new hut.”

Ratchet threw Wheeljack a side eye, frowning. Slowly he went back to his fish, but kept an eye on Wheeljack. 

“So,” Ratchet said, dropping his face. “The Seeker’s brought it.”

Wheeljack nodded. “Yup. Couple of ‘em came knockin’ this morning after you left. A green guy and a yellow guy, didn’t catch their names. They just sorta shoved it at me.”

“Hm,” Ratchet tore another piece from the fish. “And the others?”

“Whataya mean?”

“I mean the other suitors, did they get anything?”

Wheeljack shrugged. “Dunno. Have ta ask them.”

“Hm.”

“What?”

“Nothing. I’m just thinking.”

Wheeljack rested his gaze on Ratchet for a moment before hesitantly going back to his meal. When the fish was halfway eaten they wrapped it and placed in the hole in their hut designated for food. They covered it back up with brush and stayed in for the rest of the night. 

Half of their hut had become designated for experiments, with a small desk and workspace made out opposite the cots to the left of the door coming in. Skyfire stood and worked on testing the scales structure while Wheeljack scribbled over a datapad and Ratchet read over some files he’d brought from home. The night was quiet, besides the pen on the light pad and bubbles sizzling in Skyfire’s test tubes. 

Ratchet eventually put out the fire above his cot and rolled over to sleep. Wheeljack was the second to put out his light and role over to recharge. Skyfire was last. He doused the small blue fire lighting his work space and put out every other fire. His cot creaked as he sank into it. He wrapped himself in the blanket and was in recharge within a few minutes. 

Wheeljack laid, listening, waiting. Ratchet had gone to sleep first. Skyfire snored lightly. Wheeljack waited for that snore. He waited another ten clicks before carefully climbing from his bed. As silently as his pedes would carry him he snuck from the hut. He peeked his head out first, the cool air stinging his finials as he looked around. 

With the coast clear he snuck around the back of the other houses and followed the trail to the worn path to the mercury pond. 

Letting out a long breath he trekked to the pond. He found Starscream standing beside it skipping stones. 

“You know,” Starscream said. “Stones really don’t like to skip across mercury.”

Wheeljack walked until he was standing beside Starscream. He leaned down and picked up one of the smooth stones flattened by time. “What are they made of?” he asked. 

“Dunno,” Starscream said, flicking another one across the water. “But the lighter ones skip better than the darker ones.”

Wheeljack tapped the stone with his finger before turning it around and inspecting it. “Looks like lead.”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“Hm,” Wheeljack subspaced the stone and looked to Starscream. He picked another up when Starscream did and did his best to copy Starscream’s actions. Wheeljack ended up throwing a rock into the mercury with a great flop. 

Starscream laughed at him. “Smooth,” he said, smiling. “And here I thought alchemists were supposed to be good with their hands.” 

“Ain’t really an alchemist,” Wheeljack said, picking up another stone and weighing it in his hand. “I’m an inventor. I build stuff, make other people’s lives easier.”

“Like weapons.”

“Not exclusively.”

“But you have made them haven’t you?” Starscream stopped throwing stones for a moment to look at Wheeljack. “You’re probably pretty important, right?”

Wheeljack shrugged. “I wouldn’t say that,” he said, flicking another stone. It bounced once before falling flat. 

“You don’t seem as unthrilled to be here as everyone else,” Starscream said, picking up another stone. “Things- stressful for you back home?”

Wheeljack paused. He rubbed the stone in his hands, staring blankly at the pool. “They’re- expecting a lot. Right now,” he flicked his stone to the mercury. “Kind of a relief. Bein’ away.” 

“You know they’ll just expect more from you when you get back.”

Wheeljack took in a deep vent. “Yeah,” he muttered. “I know.” 

Starscream sighed. “I guess I can relate,” he mumbled. 

“I can’t even imagine being in your shoes.”

Starscream shrugged. “I wouldn’t say it’s that much different. We both have to make a decision for the betterment of our people. There are restrictions. Rules. Time limits. More expected from you than you think you can give,” Starscream paused and looked to Wheeljack. “Seems we both have to make decisions for the betterment of other people.”

“Less for ourselves.”  

Starscream didn’t respond. He kept skipping stones. Wheeljack followed in suit. 


	6. The Warrior

Grimlock sharpened his sword. His brother stirred beside him and the other was just beginning to rise.

“Up so early,” Swoop said, rubbing his eye with the ball of his hand.

“The Seekers rise,” Grimlock said. “So do we.”

“No. A seeker rises.”

“The only Seeker that matters,” Grimlock said, staring at the light as it bounced off his sword.

“Oh, no no no,” Swoop said, wagging a finger. “You Grimlock talking stupid.”

Grimlock lowered his sword. “What you swoop mean?”

“Wing Lord care for Seekers. You Grimlock must have some semblance of care also.”

“Semblance,” Grimlock muttered, using his sword to help him stand. “You swoop use big words. Don’t know what they mean.”

“Their word,” Swoop brushed a bit of dust off his brothers shoulder. “mean pretend you care.”

Grimlock brushed his brothers hand away and hilted his sword. Slug shoved Swoop out of the way.

“Yeah yeah. Lets just get this over with.”

Grimlock chuckled at his brother as they shoved through the doorway. They made their way across the village. The day had yet to peak over the trees, but the stars had hidden themselves away. Grimlock came to stand at the edge of Starscream’s territory. He stared at Starscream’s door before knocking at the edge of it. After a few seconds and no response he tugged at the tarp.

“I’m coming,” someone screeched from inside.

Grimlock waited until Starscream emerged, his face still dripping with a thin layer of mercury. Starscream brushed a dropplete from his cheek and flicked it away.

“Early riser, ey?” Starscream said.

“Were you up?”

“Fortunately for you, I was. What do you have planned for me?”

“Hunting. Me Grimlock hunt in the morning. If want you can just watch.”

Starscream scoffed. “Finally, something that’s not a waste of my time.” he said, brushing past Grimlock. “What do you want to hunt?”

“Me, Grimlock, hoped for Alloygator.”

“They’re most abundant in the northern territory. Past the mercury pond,” Starscream said, pointing in that direction. Grimlock came to stand beside Starscream.

“Then we go there,” Grimlock said.

They trekked from one side of the pond to the more marshy area where copper smelting gas erupted from holes in the ground. Mercury laced with iron left it brown, bubbles popped at the surface from the heat beneath.

Starscream dove right in, first sticking his hand in a shallow pool and coming up with a handful of mud wiggling with leeches. Grimlock held out the sack he carried and let Starscream dump his haul into it.

“Say, big guy,” Starscream started, brushing a leech off his finger. “Is there any other language you’re more comfortable speaking?”

“Yes,” Grimlock said. “But you, Seeker, no speak the primal language.”

“You’re right, that’s one I haven’t learned yet.”

“Me, Grimlock, not speak Vosnian.”

Starscream scoffed, hauling another handful of muck out of the mercury “Oh, I’m sure of that. Speak anything beside Primal?”

“Not more better than this. Me, Grimlock, have Starscream taught Primal. Integrate into clan better.”

“I’ll admit I’m curious.”

“Brother Slug better speaker. He teach.”

“Sounds like a plan. Though I don’t know how having your brother teach me will help you.”

“Help us speak clearly. Better. But Starscream no worry. Grimlock have many more to impress him with.”

“Sure you do.”

Grimlock cocked a brow. “Do you doubt me?”

“I thrive on doubt. Considering how well it’s kept me alive.”

Starscream plopped another handful of leeches into the bag before stealing it from Grimlock and tying it shut. As Starscream closed up the bag there was a stir in the water. Starscream’s wings perked, his attention immediately drawn to the swamp.

He handed the bag back to Grimlock and watched the surface of the mercury silently. There was a ring. The surface stirred. Starscream pounced. After a short struggle Starscream dragged the beast out by the tail. It hissed, it’s sharp teeth bared, primed to take whatever was touching it. It’s head flailed around, jaws looking for something to find purchase on.

Starscream, in one quick move, leaped on top of the gator, grabbed it over the eyes and snapped it’s neck.

“That was a little guy,” Starscream said, standing up.

“Why kill it then?” Grimlock asked. “What use, not large?”

“Tools,” Starscream said, dragging the gator further onto shore. “Blood, skin, metal. I said it was small, not tiny. It’s certainly not a juvenile. Honestly, I’ll take what I can get at this point.”

“Hm. Not many?”

“Hunting, expanding. It’s driving them out. Not so much they won’t wander into the village every once in a while, though.”

“Ah.”

Starscream took the strap from around his shoulder and wrapped the gators neck and base of the tail so it could be carried on his back.

They trekked on through the swamp, snaring any beast they could, including trion-fish. Starscream snipped off the whiskers while Grimlock held the fish up. Starscream tied the whiskers in a knot and placed it in the bag with the leeches.

They soon stumbled upon another alloygator, this one much larger than the first. The thickness of its tail rivaled the thickness of Grimlock’s arm. It’s jaws could hold and crush a dozen of Starscream’s head. During the fight, as both were dragged around about the water, Grimlock continued to insist on the use of his sword the slay the beast. But Starscream protested adamantly against it, even while holding the gator’s jaws closed with both his arms, and his legs.

“If you cut it-” Starscream started before the gator plunged them back into the mercury in an attempt to shake him. “If you give him an opened wound it’ll ruin the meat. Don’t you dare use that sword.”

“What do you want me to do then!?” Grimlock roared back, trying his hardest to drag the Alloygator out of the swamp and onto the shore.

“Break it’s spine, break it’s neck, I don’t care. You’re a strong mech, figure it out.”

With a great roar Grimlock grabbed the gator by the middle and lifted it up to his chest. Starscream dropped from the jaws and came to land on Grimlock’s shoulders. With all of the strength he could muster Starscream grabbed the gator over the eyes and snapped its neck.

As soon as it was limp Grimlock dropped it. Starscream let his legs fall out from under his squat so he was seated comfortably on Grimlock’s shoulders. Starscream smiled, leaning over to stare Grimlock in the face as he grabbed the dinobots head.

“I’d say that was a success.”

Starscream chuckled. He looked at the Alloygator. “Now we have to drag it back.”

Without a word Grimlock grabbed the Alloygator by the tail and started off. Starscream took the opportunity to lounge on Grimlock’s shoulders for a while until he decided to hop down and walk on his own.

Back at the huts Starscream invited Grimlock to the edge of his hut to properly distribute the haul. The fish and leeches were easy, the gators were another story entirely.

“If Grimlock get heads, you Starscream get tails.”

“Fine, but we split the middle and I want three feet.”

“No. One. But one whole leg.”

“No. Three, one from the big one, two little ones.”

“No.”

“I killed the smaller one on my own, you’re lucky I’m debating with you about that one at all.”

“You Starscream get spine of bigger,”

“Half of each.”

“No.”

“Half of each.”

Grimlock growled.

“Fine, cry-sparkling. I’ll take most of the spine. We each get one vertebrae from each.”

“Fine.”

“I want two legs, both tales, half the meat, and all the blood from the big one.”

“Fine.”

The two took their spot and properly cleaned the bodies before distributing the resources as they’d been agreed upon.

As Starscream squeezed the blood out into buckets Grimlock picked the claws from the legs.

“What you Starscream use blood for?” he asked.

“It’s used in the glue that helps keep the huts together,” Starscream lowered the piece he was working on back to his lap. “We’re just keeping the skin from what we have, right? We won’t fight over that?”

Grimlock shook his head. “No. Grimlock and brothers not use skin for much. Starscream can have Grimlock’s if Starscream wants.”

“I would, thank you.”

Grimlock gave a shallow nod and kept at his picking. Starscream watched him for a moment.

“I’ve got tool for that, do you want it?”

“Hm?” Grimlock looked up from his work. “Tool?” he asked, cocking his head.

“Yeah,” Starscream said, standing up. “You might find it a little odd, though.”

Starscream strutted back to his hut and emerged a moment later holding something in his fist. Grimlock examined what was handed to him for a moment, turning it around and around, inspecting it.

“It’s about a thousand years old,” Starscream shrugged, reclaiming his piece of the gator. “As Seekers grow they shed their claws. We made them into a tool, that’s what the tips are.”

What Grimlock was looking at was a pair of bent pieces of metal, kept together with a pit at their ridges. Welded to the ends were two pairs of sharp claws, formerly belonging to a seeker.

Starscream climbed to his knees and reached over to snatch the pliers back.

“They dig in,” Starscream said, falling to sit beside Grimlock. Starscream gathered the foot Grimlock had been working on and worked the claws into the seams between the claw and the toe. The talons fit perfectly over the shape of the claw, keeping a clamp behind it as Starscream tugged it out. Once it was free Starscream held it up, inspecting it.

“There’s no chipping. It might be an old design, but it still works wonders.” Starscream said, handing everything back to Grimlock before standing up and sitting back where he’d been.

They stripped their catch and divided the spoils. Starscream hauled his back to the but to bury while Grimlock packed his into the sack so it would keep. When Starscream entered his hut he found Sunstorm sitting on the ground reading something.

“Don’t you have duties to attend to?” Starscream sneered, wandering over to the hole in the ground.

“Don’t you have a beast to court?”

Starscream scoffed. “He’s courting me, get it right. Did you check the sparklings today?”

“Of course,” Sunstorm sat up, “And they’re doing just as well as they’ve been doing.”

Starscream’s lip hardened into a flat line, “terrible,” he muttered, arranging the meat in the compartments.

“They may even be doing worse,” Sunstorm stood up and approached his brother, “We need to bring in a medic. This is getting out of hand.”

Starscream’s wings went rigid. He barely looked over his shoulder as he spoke, “We are perfectly capable of handling this on our own.”

“No. We’re not. And you’re not fooling anyone.”

Starscream whipped around to face his brother. He climbed to his feet, his wings high and looming.

“We are not having this discussion now,” he said, his tone low and dark. “We don’t need outside help. We never had-”

“But your deal with-”

“Hush,” Starscream hissed.

Sunstorm immediately closed his mouth.

“I will not hear another word of this, do you understand? Not another word. We will discuss it later when I return, but right now I have other duties to attend to.”

Starscream turned on a heel and headed to the door. Before he reached it he heard Sunstorm mutter.

“Duties to others. Not your people”

Starscream stopped at the door, his hand lingering at the cloth. His plating clamped, then eased.

“I am doing this for my people,” he muttered, then threw the curtain aside.

 

* * *

 

Starscream had to admit that Grimlock had a certain charm about him. He was large, rugged, and capable. A capable leader, probably, or at least a capable warrior. Starscream, in the few hours they spent together gathering stakes and leeches, had learned quite a bit about Grimlock’s culture.

Starscream could not help but draw similarities between the two. Both clans were outcasts, they both, at least at some point, lived high in the mountains hidden away from most other civilizations. They took care of themselves, but were on the verge of crisis.

“Our numbers grow smaller,” Grimlock said, “Beasts go out to hunt. Never return.”

“Is that what you call yourselves,” Starscream asked, picking at his tallon. “Beasts? Sort of a crude name to give yourselves.”

Grimlock laughed, “We are considered by many to be uncivilized. They are wrong, but we have adopted the name as our own.”

Starscream hummed. “I suppose I can relate.”

Grimlock looked at Starscream.

“You, Starscream, well read.”

“I’d say at least somewhat.”

“Do you still want to learn my tongue?”

“Yes. Is your brother willing to teach me?”

“We share a meal together, then we will see.”

Grimlock didn’t have a mouth. But Grimlock didn’t need a mouth for Starscream to tell he was smirking.

Starscream frowned. “You’re not expecting me to cook meals for you, are you dinobot? Because if you are you’ve just lost a days work.”

Grimlock laughed again, this time grasping his chest as it rose and fell, “No. But food is great in my culture. And we must learn to cook meals together.”

Starscream ‘humphed’, crossing his arms over his chest.

“The only things I can make are gator and stew. Or gator stew.”

“Then we will feast tonight.”

“On gator stew.”

“What do you need?”

Grimlock helped Starscream gather the needed ingredients for such a dish. Mercury, copper, nuggets, and the tall thin grass that grew just before the swamp. Grimlock donated his alloygator meat for the meal, even throwing in an eyeball.

Starscream dragged the cauldron out from its hiding spot and dragged it to the fire pit in the center of the hut. Grimlock was waiting outside the door while Starscream prepared the fire. Starscream had vacated his hut kicking Sunstorm out and telling him to make sure no one disturbed them.

After the cauldron was set and the fire started Starscream allowed Grimlock into the hut. Swoop was ordered to remain outside. Grimlock, fortunately, did not seem inclined to look around. He very briefly surveyed his surroundings before taking a seat beside the cauldron. There he started slicing the meat and placing it on a stone to cook beside the stew.

Starscream took a seat and started on peeling the nuggets with a knife. He scraped off the lead flakes revealing the soft golden center. He waited on slicing them, instead piling them beside him for the time being.

Not much was said for a while. Grimlock finished his first task quickly. When it was complete he sharpened his knife and moved to slice open some sprouts and sprinkle their delectable contents into the broth. When the meat was ready enough he tossed that in as well. Having nothing else to do he took to slicing the nuggets.

“I wonder, Grimlock,” Starscream said, “what do you do for fun where you come from?”

Grimlock scoffed. “odd question. Coming from you.”

Starscream shrugged a shoulder, “indulge me.”

Grimlock hummed to himself, “with less and less people,” he said, “there are more duties to be done. Not much time for fun.”

“What did you do when there was time?”

Grimlock hummed again, “it's been a long time,” he muttered, tossing in the Nugget slices, “shoot rocks at petro-rabbits. Compete for biggest trion-fish,” he shrugged. “interface.”

Grimlock glanced at Starscream. He found Starscream's face slightly purple, but the emotion went unacknowledged.

“Doesn't sound like much fun,” Starscream muttered, placing a nugget on the pile.

“Different definitions.”

“I suppose.”

“What about you?”

Starscream shrugged, “I started training as leader of my people as soon as I was born. There was never really any room for fun.”

“Do you want there to be?”

Starscream puffed a humorless laugh, “Is that what you have to offer?” he waved his knife around. “Is that what you have to impress me?”

Grimlock shook his head, “Me, Grimlock, not making effort to impress you.”

Starscream returned his knife to the nugget. He wagged the blade over the skin and watched the light of the fire bounce off the metal.

“You could have fooled me,” Starscream muttered.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Starscream scoffed. “That doesn’t mean you impress me, Dinobot.”

“Me, Grimlock, naturally impressive.”

Starscream chuckled, getting back to his peeling, “Yes, I’m sure,” he grumbled.

“But me, Grimlock, know nothing I do will impress you.”

“Oh yeah? Why do you say that?”

“Because me, Grimlock, not who Starscream finds his mind with.”

Starscream scoffed, “Intimidated?”

“Not by the competition.”

Starscream paused. A moment later he continued peeling, slower now.

Grimlock shrugged, “We- my people. Don’t like way things done here. Too many rules.”

“Rules keep order,” Starscream muttered, “Tradition-”

“My tradition-” Grimlock cut in, “Not to win a spark that’s already won.”

The knife slipped. Starscream cut his thumb. With shaking hands he bit the blood out of his wound.

“I- don’t know what you mean,” Starscream said between sucks. He looked at the cut on his thumb and swore.

“Mean-” Grimlock took a moment to think about what he was going to say next. “I don’t intend to take spark that’s already been given. Me, Grimlock, not aim for favor, or make you, Starscream, do something you do not want to do. If Starscream’s heart not belong to Grimlock, I must accept that.”

“Your competition- the other suitors, they’re not that impressive, I haven’t chosen so quick,” Starscream was speaking fast, his hands shaking so much he could barely hold his knife. It slipped from his grip not a second later.

Grimlock grabbed Starscream’s hands with one of his own. The shaking ceased. Starscream looked at Grimlock, now leaned over to look Starscream in the eye.

“You, Starscream, don’t have to worry,” Grimlock said, his tone firm but soft. “As far as anyone knows we know nothing. Just like you.”

Starscream looked at the hand holding his own. He shook his head.

“I could ruin everything,” he whispered, voice broken.

Grimlock released Starscream’s hand and leaned away.

“Maybe,” Grimlock said. “But know. Have the beasts on your side.”

Starscream flexed his hands. He studied his claws, sharp and deadly, and- soft. Against the hands of another.

“It is hard,” Grimlock rumbled gently. “Carrying the world on your shoulders.”

Starscream made his hands into fists. He shook his head, letting his hands fall into his lap.

“You have no idea.”

 

* * *

 

 

Starscream was not the first to the pool. Wheeljack sat by the mercury tossing tiny stones in and watching the ripples disturb the water.

“It’s dark out here,” Starscream said, coming up behind him, “There’s no moon.”

“It is dark,” Wheeljack said, “Better for us.”

“No,” Starscream said, sitting down beside him. “Worse.”

“Why?”

“People listen better in the dark. Or they try to.”

Wheeljack just grunted in response.

Starscream looked at Wheeljack’s silhouette. He studied it for a moment, comparing the unmoving shadow to the ripples of the pond beside him. He was hunched, elbows balanced on his knee, small stone twiddling between his fingers.

“Is something wrong?” Starscream asked. “You’re not as talkative as usual.”

“Hm?” Wheeljack turned slightly. “Oh. Oh- no, no, I-” he paused and took in a deep vent. “I just got a lot on my mind is all.”

“Like?”

“Like- everything. I’ve just been thinkn’ too much, you know how it goes.”

Starscream scratched his palm with his talons, “yes,” he agree. “I’m familiar.”

“It’s just-” Wheeljack seemed ready to speak but stopped himself. He huffed. “There is a lot riding on me,” he muttered. “You’re right. When I get back, when we get back, I don’t know what I’m goin’ back to. But I know it won’t be good.”

“There’s a war coming, isn’t there?”

Wheeljack was silent for a moment.

“They put me on a pedestal,” he said, voice low and thoughtful, but seeping with regret. “Because I’m the best at what I do. One of the best at what I do. We got other guys, Brainstorm, Perceptor, they know how to make weapons. They know how to make good stuff, they are insanely smart, let me tell you- but” another pause. “It ain’t their job. They deal with technology, medicine, the occasional hand weapon. That’s where they’re assigned. Cyclonus pulled me aside and said ‘make me a weapon that will win this war,’ and-” he let out a heavy vent,. “I don’t know- I don’t know if I can do it. And even if I could, I don’t know if it’s a thing we want in this world.”

Starscream watched Wheeljack as he spoke. He couldn’t see him, but he felt the pull of his spark when Wheeljack’s tone rose and fell.

“Sorry,” Wheeljack said. “I didn’t mean to-”

“No,” Starscream said quickly, “don’t apologize for that.”

Starscream adjusted himself so he was sitting closer to Wheeljack. Close enough to feel his warmth, but not close enough to touch.

“It can be hard,” Starscream said gently, “Carrying the world on your shoulders.”

“Yeah,” Wheeljack mumbled.

For a long time they sat in silence, staring at the pool they could barely see. When the silence grew old Wheeljack spoke.

“Hey, I’ve been thinkin’,” he said. “I want to start learnin’ Vosnian.”

Immediately Starscream humphed, “Do you?” he asked. “It’s extraordinarily complex, you realize.”

“I know, I know,” Wheeljack shifted slightly so he was facing Starscream. “But I was thinkin about an exchange. You teach me a language, and I teach you one.”

“Ha, as if you have any language to teach me.”

“Chirolinguistics.”

“What in the world is that?”

“Hand speak.”

“Hand speak?”

“You communicate through your hands, here-” Wheeljack offered his hand, now more than a mere blob now that Starscream’s eyes had adjusted. “Let me show you.”

Starscream looked between Wheeljack’s hand and his face.

“Alright,” Starscream said, shifting so he was knee to knee with Wheeljack. Starscream offered one of his hands.

“Here,” Wheeljack said, putting his palms up, facing Starscream, “Put your hands on mine.”

Starscream hesitated but did as he was told.

“Now we just-” Wheeljack muttered, intertwining their fingers. Starscream felt when his talons made contact with the back of Wheeljack’s hand. Without meaning to he squeezed, but quickly relented. Wheeljack’s hands began to move.

“It’s not about sight,” Wheeljack said, “or sound,” his hands continued to move. “It’s just feeling.”

Starscream’s vents became shallow as Wheeljack’s hands moved against his own. When they stopped moving it felt as though he was going to pull away. Again, though, Starscream found himself grasping. The blunts of his fingers dug into the back of Wheeljack’s hand, talons far from his mind.

“What did you say?” Starscream vented, his concentration on his hands.

“Just hello,” Wheeljack muttered softly.

Starscream let out a stiff vent. He quickly released Wheeljack’s hands and climbed to his feet.

“I’m getting tired,” Starscream said. “We should- probably head back,” his voice faltered at the end, betraying his words.

“Yeah,” Wheeljack agreed, standing up, “It’s getting late.”

Starscream forced words from his vocalizer. “I’ll head back first,” he said. His pedes were heavy when he tried to move them, but he made them move.

Halfway down the path Starscream stopped. He turned back to get one last glance at Wheeljack.

The clouds had parted, and the late of the night brought out the stars. The light, though limited, bounced sharply off of Wheeljack’s frame as he stared up and studied the new night sky.

Starscream bit his lip and forced himself to turn away.

The weight of the world was heavy, true, but the weight of a spark was heavier.


	7. The Meal

“I hate to be crude and mean,” Starscream said, barely even addressing his guests, “but I hope you all realized just how useless your job is.”

Starscream hung the sword he'd been sharpening back on the wall.

“And how much of a nuisance you are,” he shrugged, “but what can you do.”

Starscream turned and finally faced the courters.

“Rules are rules, I guess. Or, a deal is a deal I should say.”

Starscream circled the courters with his hands poised behind his back.

“What should I make you do today?” he asked himself, rubbing his chin. He shrugged, flicking his hand away from his face, “I don’t really have anything,” he muttered, stopping mid step. “Honestly I’m just tired.”

Starscream circled his guests. He rubbed his chin and flapped his wings. Truly he had nothing in mind for his always uninvited guests. All he wanted to do was nap, honesty. Anything else he wanted to do was scrapped the moment the courters arrived. But he had to find something for them to do.

Starscream snapped.

“Got it,” he smiled. He looked to the mechs sitting patiently in his home and twiddled his fingers.

“How are you all at cooking?”

 

* * *

 

Seekers enjoyed taking meals together. It was one of the few traditions Starscream didn’t despise. It wasn’t his favorite, certainly, but it wasn’t something Starscream made any attempts to avoid. If he was being honest he was actually beginning to miss it. Between his duties as the intended and his duties as Wing Lord he never seemed to have time for his people anymore.

When they ate meals together they were cooked separately and only brought together in the community hut. It had been a long time since Starscream cooked a meal for his people to share.

Generally outsiders were forbidden from this tradition. Starscream had nothing else for the courters to do, however, so this was what they were assigned to help with. Starscream thought it would be good for his people to get accustom to strangers. They would be paying frequent visits, after all, and who knew how long it would be until the Seekers would have to move into unfamiliar territory again.

Starscream’s ancestors had not encouraged evolution, nor trying to make nice with others. They were safe in the mountains until they weren’t. And when they weren’t that weight was handed to Starscream. Most of the Seekers were as stubborn as their leader, so trying to convince them of anything was cumbersome and difficult. Tradition was a difficult thing to break. Starscream spent a lot of time with a hammer.

That night, however, Starscream choose to embrace tradition. True, he was also breaking it. But what are rules but things to be broken? It wasn’t as if it mattered, Starscream was breaking his own traditions. The only person he could insult was himself.

Starscream assigned the courters to groups. Swoop and Jazz were to go with Thundercracker to collect spices and leeches while Wheeljack, Starscream and Sunstorm were to dig up nuggets and gather eggs.

“Don’t tell me you’re making another stew,” Sunstorm groused, shoving aside the brush as they tread through the forest. Everything he moved aside bounced back in Wheeljack’s face. Sunstorm was sure to put himself between his brother and the courter. Not only to help his brother, who he knew was not fond of these courters, but to also irritate the outsider.

“You and Grimlock didn’t even finish what you had last night. You and the courters can’t cook for the entire, clan. You know that.”

“The people will eat,” Starscream insisted as they entered a clearing. “If they are hungry they will eat.”

“You know our people would rather starve than accept food cooked by an outsider.”

Starscream just humphed at that. Behind them Wheeljack piped up.

“Would they eat it if it was an offering?”

Sunstorm whipped around, “hush grounder,” he growled, “no one gave you permission to speak.”

“Sunstorm,” Starscream snapped, his gaze sharp and deadly. Sunstorm’s wings fell with his head.

“Starscream we are brothers,” he said, his tone even, “he must listen to me as he does to you.”

Starscream’s plating flared, “he is not your slave, little brother, and you are not in charge here. You will never speak to him like that again, do you understand me?”

“Starscream he is a grounder-”

Starscream hissed. Sunstorm immediately relieved his stance.

“I said do you understand me?” Starscream said again.

Sunstorm lowered his chin to his chest, “yes,” he uttered.

“Good,” Starscream looked past Sunstorm to Wheeljack.

“What were you saying, Wheeljack?”

Wheeljack scratched at his finial. “I was just curious,” he mumbled, “your people won’t eat anything cooked by an outsider. But I know your took Optimus’ offering, so would you take it as an offering?”

Starscream’s eyes widened slightly. Sunstorm looked at Wheeljack with a sneer, his brow furrowed.

“Yes, well,” Starscream said, stepping past his brother, “That was offered to me from his hunt. One of the acceptable offerings,” Starscream glanced briefly at his brother, and nearly put a hand on Wheeljack’s shoulder but quickly stopped himself, “had you read the rules- hm- ground pounder, you would have known that.”

“Well I know, but they weren’t your rules we read so I wasn’t sure if both a hunt and a meal would be acceptable. I know certain dishes, even or especially prepared by outsiders, can be given as an offering to the host clan. I thought seekers had the same deal.”

“They do,” Starscream confirmed, “but the ingredients for such a dish aren’t available around here.”

Sunstorm stepped forward, “how do you know so much about seeker culture, grounder?”

Wheeljack shrugged, “my suitor doesn’t stop talking about it. He loves your culture. I thought he was bad at home, but since we got here he won’t shut up.”

Sunstorm lifted a brow, “is that the shuttle bot? What was his name, Starscream?”

“Skyfire. And yes, he is quite fluent in our culture.”

“I don’t know why you haven’t picked yet, then,” Sunstorm scoffed, “And he’s big too,” he smirked, “I know you like ‘em big.”

Starscream frowned, his wings ruffling. With purple cheeks he shoved a hand in his brother’s face and pushed him over as he stalked away. When he was far ahead he called for Wheeljack to follow, leave Sunstorm to giggle like a goon to himself on the ground.

Wheeljack leaped to attention. When Sunstorm finally caught up he roughly shoved past Wheeljack to keep between him and Starscream.

Starscream glanced briefly over his shoulder at the sound of Wheeljack’s grunt, but made no comment.

They eventually came to the mud pit where the nuggets grew. Late rain had made it swampier than usual.

Sunstorm shook his head, “oh Starscream, must we?” he pleaded, “let's just send in the grounder, they like dirt.”

Starscream rolled his eyes, “you're an idiot, Sunstorm.”

Sunstorm scowled at his brother. Then pushed him in. Starscream fell face first into the mud. Sunstorm smiled at himself, and erupted in a fit of laughter when Starscream stood up covered in mud and fuming.

Starscream grabbed Sunstorm by the arm and dragged him in with him. Starscream cackled as he held his brothers face into the mud.

“Not so funny now, huh?”

Sunstorm reached his hands above his head and grabbed Starscream by the neck. Sunstorm mustered enough strength to turn them over. Starscream managed to avoid getting his face shoves in the mud, and managed to hold off Sunstorm fists.

They rolled around at each other throats.

Meanwhile Wheeljack was walking around the pit. He had hunted for nuggets before, but not often. They stopped sending him out to gather after his inventive mind got the better of him.

Wheeljack squatted at the edge of the pit. Normally nuggets grew on the very bottom, which was why people often had to dive in and get them. There were very few who actively enjoyed doing this, Wheeljack not being one of them.

Wheeljack emptied his subspace to see what he had.

A small handheld laser

A grabber

A knife

A taser- for some reason

Four datapads

A small motor

And chain.

Wheeljack hummed, looking at everything at his disposal. He immediately ruled out the taser; using an electric current in this situation was not ideal.

Which left him with a grabber, four datapads, chain, a motor, and a laser. Not very useful. For anyone else.

Wheeljack went with the simplest solution first. Use the grabber to grab the nuggets. Problem: could not see or feel the nuggets. Solution? That was still in the works.

Wheeljack saved all of the data from three datapad onto one before taking the fourth apart and using it’s pieces to make a sensor which he attached to the end of the grabber. He then took apart the taser and used those components to wire one end of the sensor to the other. Originally Wheeljack wanted to put a screen on his end so he could see into the pit. But that wouldn’t work for obvious reasons. So he settled for a sound sensor.

While the brothers fought Wheeljack fished out as many nuggets as he could and put them in the sack Starscream had discarded on the shore. When he finished his task, about a half hour later, Starscream and Sunstorm were still fighting.

Wheeljack sat on the shore and waited for the never ending wrestling match to end. It finally did when Starscream got Sunstorm into a headlock and nearly knocked him out. At that point Sunstorm decided he was finished fighting and stormed, half dazed and muddy, out of the pit and into the field.

Sunstorm walked right past Wheeljack and was nearly halfway across when Starscream hauled himself out of the mud. Wheeljack looked up at him.

“A good demonstration as to why siblings aren’t wing mates,” he teased, keeping his voice low.

Starscream smirked, looking down at Wheeljack.

“You’ve got something on your face,” Starscream said.

Wheeljack put a hand to his mask, “where?”

Starscream shoved his hand in Wheeljack’s face and spread mud all over it.

“Right there,” Starscream said, barely repressing his laugh. Before Wheeljack could respond Starscream took off across the field to catch up with Sunstorm. When he reached them they knocked shoulders. Sunstorm pushed Starscream over but Starscream leaped up and jumped onto Sunstorm’s back.

Wheeljack trudged behind them, dragging the sack of nuggets both Sunstorm and Starscream seemed to have forgotten about.

 

* * *

 

Leeches they had an abundance of, spices were another story. They didn’t have none, but they apparently didn’t have what Starscream wanted. Thundercracker did not volunteer for his position. Unfortunately Starscream was both Wing Lord and tine leader so Thundercracker had to do what he said. Even when he said, “take the courters out to gather.”

Starscream didn’t want anything extravagant, but what he requested was fifty kliks north and well out of the way of the village. Thundercracker, after talking to Jazz for all of thirty seconds, originally asked if he would like to stay behind. Both Thundercracker and Swoop had wings, so it only made sense to make the journey themselves so it would be faster.

Jazz was not to be deterred, however, and insisted he go with them. No matter what it took.

What it took was nothing, what it gave was a two hour walk there and back. Totaling four hours. Had they flown that time would have been cut in half.

Thundercracker stayed ahead as they walked through the vaguely worn path. Jazz had made several attempts at conversation, but Thundercracker wasn’t having any of it. Jazz mostly asked about the land and Starscream, two things Thundercracker felt no obligation to share information about. He gave brief answers to questions about the land, and cold silence to questions about Starscream. The only time he replied was to tell Jazz that trying to get answers out of Starscream’s wingmate was lazy, annoying, and not winning any favors.

Jazz decided to turn his attention to his companion. They fell a few steps behind Thundercracker, enough to talk privately, but not enough to seem suspicious.

“I know you see it too,” Jazz said, keeping his voice low and even.

“See what?” Swoop asked.

“The way he looks at him. The way he talks with him, interacts with him. You’re not stupid, man.”

Swoop chuckled, “you speak in riddles, Jazz. Say what mean.”

“You know what I mean,” Jazz snapped, “our boy, our-” he glanced at Thundercracker. When he spoke again his voice was quieter, “Our fellow wingman, dinobot, mr. scientist.”

Swoop chuckled again, “you, Jazz, ignore me when I say same to you. So I walk ahead.”

Before Swoop could get far Jazz grabbed him by the arm and dragged him back.

“No, no, man,” Jazz whispered sharply, “No, listen to me. Listen. If we can prove that our man has got the hots for the intended and is breaking the rules then we got this contest in the bag. His clan will be kicked to the curb-”

“And your clan can swoop in and take intended. I see your point,” Swoop said, rolling his eyes, “Me Swoop not help you, Jazz. You have no proof, just hunch. And those are bold claims.”

“Swoop I know you’re not that stupid.”

Swoop scowled at him.

Jazz continued, “Okay, maybe Wheeljack doesn’t have the hots for Starscream, fine, we’ve got no proof of that. But Starscream's definitely got eyes on Wheeljack, you gotta be able to see that.”

Swoop shrugged, “maybe he does, maybe he doesn’t. We won’t know. Let matter alone.”

Jazz scoffed, “you’re crazy,” he muttered, “I’m tryin’ to cut you in on a deal and you shoot me down? This gives us the advantage.”

Swoop hummed, rubbing his chin, “potentially dishonor two bots through unfair means, encourage no right to love who love if love at all,” Swoop nodded, “sound just like thing I want,” he said sarcastically.

“Listen, listen,” Jazz said, waving his hands, “I’m not saying Wheeljack shouldn’t be allowed to fall in love, but now’s not the time. And this ain’t the bot. My man wants to bring peace, and so does yours. But what does Skyfire’s people want? An army. That’s it. That’s all. We’ve all heard them talking.”

“You, Jazz, not know fully story.”

“And I don’t have to. They want the Seekers, that’s it. But my man, your man, they want that hand.”

Swoop shook his head, “you, Jazz, speaking false.”

“Am I? You’re telling me Cyclonus, former General to Galvatron Cyclonus, can’t fight a war like that? He used to work under Galvatron, for all we know they’re still in cahoots. We all know what Galvatron is capable of, imagine if they were still working together. And think about it, Cyclonus claims to harbor outcasts, anyone who wants in gets in. But somehow he’s managed to collect almost a whole population of alchemists, inventors, science guys, medics?” Jazz shook his head, “that just doesn’t add up.”

Swoop pretended he wasn’t listening. Jazz kept talking.

“And it’s not like we ever hear from them. They trade with a few clans, but they keep to themselves, even more than you guys. This is the first time I’m hearing from them, first time I’ve ever even met one of Cyclonus’ boys. And they’re weird, Swoop, they are so out of it they’re practically on another planet.”

Jazz lowered his voice again, “we know the lengths that people will go to get the Seekers. They’re some of the fiercest warriors to ever live, and everyone wants extra air power. Everyone wants them, and Starscream’s the ticket. Cyclonus is a powerful bot, don’t be fooled. He could end a whole war by himself. But with the Seekers he’d be unstoppable. Think about that.”

Jazz shook a sullen head, “that scares me, man. That scares me.”

Swoop scowled to himself, “you, Jazz, talk big game,” he finally looked at Jazz, “But can you play it?”

Jazz smirked, “oh, I can play it, big guy. Just you wait.”

Swoop chuckled.

“I’m waiting.”

 

* * *

 

Starscream and Sunstorm rinsed off in the mercury pool. Wheeljack stayed on the shore and just dipped his hand into the liquid to wash off his face. When Starscream was all washed off he stepped onto shore and shook himself off and sat himself down beside Wheeljack.

“Weird bein’ here durring the day,” Wheeljack said.

Starscream smirked, leaning back on his arms and crossing his legs in the mercury. “I like it,” he said. “I wish we could do it more often,” he looked at Wheeljack. Starscream’s smirked lightened into a smile, “I like being able to see your face,” he said softly.

Purple rose in Wheeljack’s face. He tugged at his finial, not facing Starscream.

“I- like it too,” Wheeljack muttered, smiling under his mask.

“Can I see your face?”

Wheeljack pointed to his mask, “What, this ugly thing?” he asked. He shook his head, “no you, you don’t wanna see that. Why you think I wear the mask?”

Starscream scoffed, “come on, it’s not like you’ve never taken it off around me.”

“It was dark.”

“So what? Come on, I want to see it.”

Wheeljack shook his head, “no you don’t.”

“Oh come on-”

“No. I’m not- just no.”

“Wheeljack.”

Starscream gave Wheeljack a hard look. It wasn’t steely or intimidating, but hard, definitive. Wheeljack rolled his eyes, putting his chin up and down, contemplating. After a moment he looked at Starscream and retracted his mask.

Two thick scars decorated Wheeljack’s lips. They split the mesh apart in wonky patterns cutting roughly across Wheeljack’s face. Almost as quickly as he revealed his face Wheeljack hid it.

“What!?” Starscream almost screeched, “No! Bring that back!”

“No,” Wheeljack muttered, “you wanted to see it and you did.”

“Are those scars why you wear that mask all the time?”

“I don’t wanna talk about it.”

Starscream didn’t say anything for a moment. He crossed his legs and took a deep vent.

“Will you tell me tonight?” he asked.

Wheeljack didn’t answer right away. He rubbed at his finial, “maybe,” he muttered, “Maybe. I dunno.”

Starscream stood, “then I’ll see you tonight.”

Starscream took off down the path almost as soon as Sunstorm emerged from the pool.

“What’s got his wings in a twist,” Sunstorm asked, watching Starscream walk away. Sunstorm looked to Wheeljack, still sitting on the ground.

“You didn’t say anything to upset the intended, did you grounder?”

Wheeljack shook his head, “no. I barely said a word to him.”

“Hm,” Sunstorm brushed some mercury from his plating, “it’s probably just Starscream being Starscream then,” he muttered. He looked at Wheeljack again.

“You know, you're a lucky bot, Wheeljack. Starscream actually likes you,” Sunstorm sneered, “wonder what you did to deserve that.”

Wheeljack shrugged, not meeting Sunstorm's gaze.

“Just- lucky I guess,” Wheeljack muttered.

Sunstorm rolled his eyes, “come on,” he said, walking away and gesturing for Wheeljack to follow.

“We should get back to the village.”

Wheeljack did not hesitate to follow Sunstorm down the worn path.

“You should be careful grounder,” Sunstorm said, moving aside a tree branch, this time holding it so it wouldn’t hit Wheeljack.

“With yourself, and with Starscream. Just because he likes you it doesn’t mean anything, understand? I don’t need you- getting his feelings all mixed up, alright?”

Sunstorm stopped and turned to Wheeljack.

Sunstorm shook his head and spoke quietly, “Starscream has a duty to his people. We and he don’t need anyone mucking that up, grounder. There’s too much at stake here. For both our peoples”

Wheeljack cocked his head, “what makes you think Starscream would abandon his duty for a grounder like me?”

Sunstorm knocked him in the head with his knuckles, “you made him smile,” he said. He turned back to the path, “even I can’t do that.”

 

* * *

 

Starscream originally decided to prepare the meal in his hut so the people could not see the outsiders helping with it. Starscream had told the people that a communal meal would be taken in the community hut that evening. He warned them that the suitors wingmen would be helping to prepare the meal. The people murmured amongst themselves. A few came right out and said they would not eat the meal cooked by the outsiders.

Starscream urged them to reconsider, but they would not have it. Mostly it was the same people who refused to follow any of Megatron’s rules, and occasionally had bouts with Starscream over his leadership. Being the understanding mech that he was Starscream compromised. He would cook a separate meal with his own hands that they could eat. And he would do it right in the communal hut for everyone to see.

At the same time the courters would be cooking their meal under Sunstorm’s supervision. Starscream gave the courters permission to take turns in the communal hut so they may ask whatever questions they had on their mind. They were only permitted one at a time.

Jazz was up first.

“You get five minutes,” Starscream said, flipping the meat over on the stone, “don’t waste my time.”

“I’m curious,” Jazz said, “do you enjoy taking meals with your people?”

“Admittedly yes. We don’t have a lot of time together. I do what I can.”

“I’m sure Optimus would be more than willing to give up his day with you so you can spend it with your people. If that was something you wanted.”

“Your words Jazz,” Starscream flipped the meat again. He took a handful of the spice beside him and tossed it onto the meat, “not his. They don’t impress me.”

“It was just a thought.”

“And what would the great Optimus Prime do in the meantime? Go catch another fish?”

Jazz tried to keep on a smile, “Maybe,” he said, “if that’s what you want.”

“I want Optimus Prime to do something that proves something to me. He’s a good hunter. I don’t care. I’m a good hunter. My people are good hunters. He’s a chief. So what? I’m a Wing Lord. Megatron can make me sign as many contracts as he wants, I’ll still be Wing Lord. Can he cook? Don’t answer, I don’t care. Your job is useless, Jazz, just like I said.”

“Maybe I’m just not asking the right question.”

“Come back on your next turn with better ones.”

Jazz bowed his head, “I’ll keep thinking.”

“I’m sure you will.”

Jazz retired to Starscream’s hut. Swoop was next to emerge.

“I’m sure Grimlock has told you of my- situation,” Starscream said.

Swoop chuckled, “More I told him. You, Starscream, very bad at hiding crushes.”

Starscream shushed him, “keep your voice down, Dinobot, we don’t need my people thinking I’ve chosen just yet.”

“Will you ever?”

“Just swear to me you won’t even hint that I may- be fond- of another bot. My feelings are irrelevant here. I can’t have them getting in the way.”

“You fool yourself Starscream.”

Starscream stopped tending to the meat, “I have a duty to my people, Swoop,” he said, “a very important duty. I would never put my own happiness over it so, no, I am not fooling myself.”

Starscream took a deep vent, “do you have any real questions?”

Swoop shook his head, “no. Know, Starscream, you have the beasts at your back.”

“I should stop,” Starscream said, “looking at him like that, shouldn’t I?”

Swoop nodded, “if you ever want to fool anyone.”

Starscream shrugged, “maybe I can manage,” he mumbled. “Be sure to send in the next courter.”

Swoop smiled, “oh I will.”

Wheeljack was next. He sat cross legged an appropriate distance away.

“I didn’t prepare any questions,” he said, “what’s yer favorite color?”

It took everything Starscream had to resist smiling. He kept his attention dead on his work. “We can’t keep doing this, Wheeljack,” he whispered, “people are catching on. When we’re together-”

“I try. But it’s hard.”

“I understand that. How do you think I feel?”

Wheeljack’s fingers thrummed against his knees. “Skyfire has wings,” he said. “I know Seeker coding is dominant, but even if it weren't he could-” Wheeljack stopped. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before continuing. “He could give you strong bitlits.”

Starscream’s jaw clenched.

“That’s more like it,” he whispered. “And what would that mean to me, grounder? Skyfire’s opponents are just as strong and powerful.”

“But you don’t need the power. Skyfire would be able to fly with your people. Probably keep up better than the lot of them.”

“Your argument is compelling, grounder, but coming from your mouth it means little.”

Wheeljack smiled, “guess you were right when you said my job was useless.”

Starscream smiled that time, “of course I was,” he quickly wiped the smile from his face. “If that’s all you have, courter, then you can go now. Send in the next courter in twenty minutes, I’m almost done here.”

“Alrighty,” Wheeljack grunted as he stood up.

When he re-entered the hut he found Jazz stirring their stew while Swoop tended to the meat. It seemed they were switching jobs. Sunstorm shoved Jazz aside and confiscated the stirring stick.

“I can’t believe I’ve been put on babysitting duty,” Sunstorm groused, taking over stirring. “Your stokes are too shallow, you’re just letting it all settle on the bottom. Haven’t any of you ever cooked before?”

“We don’t have a lot of stews in our culture,” Jazz said, taking the stirring stick as it was handed to him. “We’re more hunt and feast type people. Cook the meat, ya know?”

Sunstorm scoffed, “I wish. Our ancestors thought the greatest meal was one that could be shared and created by multiple hands.”

Jazz nodded, “I see,” he said. “So if one man’s hunt feeds the clan-”

“It’s good, but it’s not communal enough.”

Jazz rubbed his chin, “do you do this pretty often?”

“Not anymore,” Sunstorm put a finger in Jazz’s chest, “but you can leave me alone with the questions, grounder. That’s Starscream’s job.”

Jazz put his hands up, “okay, okay, I know when to shut up.”

Swoop chuckled, “no you don’t.”

Jazz was about to retort when Sunstorm shushed them.

“Just shut up,” he snapped. “The food’s almost ready, we’ll be serving it at the door,” Sunstorm rubbed his brow. “Primus knows how much my people want to see you. So just stay behind the curtain.”

Sunstorm pulled the curtain aside and found Starscream standing behind it.

“I finished the meat. Where’s the rest of the food?” he demanded.

“Cool your jets, big brother, we’re just finishing it up now.”

“Then what are you waiting for? Bring it out. The courters will serve.”

“What? No, we can’t let the people see the outsiders-”

“Yes. We can. They’ll just have to get used to it, when I bond-”

“When you bond it will be in the best interest of your people,” Sunstorm scowled, “what’s gotten into you, Starscream?”

“My people need to learn to adapt, this will help them.”

“It’s bad enough that these people have touched the food we’re going to consume, now you want them to hold our bowls and tools?” Sunstorm spat, “you’ve gone against tradition enough today, I will not have outsiders serving the Seekers.”

“That’s not up to you,” Starscream said, shoving past his brother.

Sunstorm rushed past him and stood between Starscream and the food.

“I will serve them,” Sunstorm said. “Or they will not be served at all.”

“You’re being stupid,” Starscream spat. “It’s stew. We eat stew all the time. These are my orders, Sunstorm, now get out of the way.”

“No.”

“What are you afraid of? What are we so afraid of? You want us to survive but we’re so reluctant to accept help.”

“You stupid idiot, I’ve been advocating help! You’re the one keeping it away.”

Starscream stalked forward until he was right in his brothers face.

“You know as well as I do that there would be a huge uproar if I let outsiders in willy nilly. I’m trying to integrate us into the greater people. Get them used to outsiders. If I can’t do that we’re never going to get better.”

“And I’m trying to retain some semblance of culture, that’s supposed to be your job.”

“My job is to keep you all alive, and I’m doing it. I’ve been doing it-”

“Not well enough.”

Starscream’s eyes widened slightly. He took a step back. His face contorted in a scowl.

“You are out of line,” he said, wings slowly rising behind him.

Sunstorm just scowled, “you haven’t seen anything,” he said. He turned to the cauldron and kicked it over. The meal they’d prepared spilled across the dirt. Leeches wiggled and died as the broth flooded the hut.

Starscream struck his brother across the face, leaving claw marks on his cheek. Sunstorm looked at him stone faced as the blood trickled past his jaw and down his neck.

Starscream spoke to the courters without looking at them.

“Leave,” he demanded. “And do not tell your men what happened here today.”

None of the courters moved. Starscream hissed at them to move again. This time they did. They scurried back to their huts to never speak of this again.

 

* * *

 

 

“That wasn’t about stew, was it?”

The question had been on Wheeljack’s mind since he’d returned to his hut. Skyfire and Ratchet had pressed him for answers, but Wheeljack refused to break. He’d laid down and gone to sleep, holding his questions for the night.

Starscream threw small pebbles into the pool. It had been forty minutes and they hadn’t spoken a word to each other. Wheeljack would have preferred Starscream to speak first, but that wasn’t happening.

Starscream shook his head. He twisted a small pebble between his thumb and forefinger where it dangled off his knee. After a moment he spoke.

“I’m facing a dilemma, Wheeljack, one I do not have a solution for.”

“What is it?”

“I need to preserve my culture. But in doing so I endanger my people. And without my people the culture cannot exist.”

“So you’re stuck in a never ending loop.”

“No. Not never ending,” Starscream threw the pebble into the pool, “eventually we’ll all die off. And that will be the end of it,” Starscream sighed, leaning back on his hands. “My people are stubborn. It’s what’s kept us alive. But now it’s killing us.”

“It’s your decision, though, right? You make the ultimate decision.”

Starscream shook his head, leaning forward, “it’s not that simple. My people are afraid, Wheeljack, bringing in foreign medics to teach us or give us medical aid will cause panic. And I will lose my people’s trust,” he looked at Wheeljack, “that’s why I wanted to do this today. So they could get used to strangers. If I could do it more often than we could get the attention we need. Sparklings would stop dying, we could get our gene pool sorted out, fix our issues,” Starscream scowled, “Sunstorm is a hypocrite. He begs me to bring in strangers, but won’t even let them serve us soup? Idiot.”

Wheeljack scratched at his finial, “well,” he muttered, “I sort of understand it.”

Starscream frowned, “don’t tell me you’re taking his side.”

“I’m not I’m just- I mean the health of your younglings is greater than soup isn’t is?”

Starscream sat up straight, “I know that. But that’s not the point. If he thinks the people will react so badly to outsiders serving us a meal, what does he think would happen if I brought in medics to poke and prod at us? This change needs to be subtle, and if he and they are not willing to put in the effort to make that change then we have to take care of it ourselves. Which is what we’re doing. I see an opportunity with all of you. I didn’t originally, but I always knew that someday we would need to bring in outsiders.”

Wheeljack nodded, “but it’ll never work if you try to straight up force your people to accept it.”

“Exactly. That’s why the change needs to be gradual.”

“But do you have time for that?”

“I-” Starscream stopped himself. His expression lowered with his wings. “I wish I did,” he rubbed his brow, “I don’t know what to do Wheeljack. We’re the last of the Seekers. I could be the last leader of the Seekers, and what would I be known for? That. Only that. The generation that finally died.”

Starscream clenched his fists in his lap.

“I need to have a sparkling,” he whispered. “I need- I’m one of the only fertile Seekers left. And the rest are sick, or have lost their mate. I need-” he huffed, “I need to do this for my people.”

“Well just- take your time then,” Wheeljack said softly, “if you have to do it, do it with someone you love, right?”

Starscream shook his head, “I don’t- that’s not-”

“That’s not the Seeker way,”

“No it is, but- it hasn’t been. That’s why we left the mountains in the first place, to find mates. That’s what my creators brilliant plan was. Invite mates, make sparklings, kick them out. But it backfired. We were kidnapped and raped, and-” Starscream rubbed a hand down his face. “I get ridiculed for what I do against tradition. I need to do what they did, but I need it to work. I need healthy sparklings, a good mate, someone who will leave us alone, I-”

Starscream put his face in his hands, “I don’t want to do this,” he whispered.

Wheeljack twiddled his fingers in his lap. Taking a deep vent he moved closer to Starscream so they were nearly hip to hip. Wheeljack’s hand lingered over Starscream’s shoulder. Before Wheeljack could touch Starscream lifted his head from his hands.

“I think that’s enough about me,” he said.

Wheeljack quickly drew his hand away.

“I remember you saying you would tell me about that mask of yours.”

Wheeljack blinked. He scratched at his finial. “Oh, right,” he muttered, “that. You don’t wanna hear about that.”

“Oh, yes I do.”

Wheeljack turned so he was facing Starscream.

“How about I make a deal with you?"

Starscream turned to mirror Wheeljack.

“Oh yeah?” Starscream said, “what kind of deal?”

“You take the proposal I offered yesterday, where you teach me Vosnian and I teach you chirolinguistics, and I will, someday eventually, talk about my mask and what’s behind it.”

Starscream hummed, playfully tapping his chin. He smirked, “deal,” he said, putting out his hand.

Wheeljack didn’t hesitate to shake Starscream’s hand. It was bound to be a long night coming.


	8. The Lesson

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is formatted differently, it starts off where the last chapter left off.

Starscream had to admit he quite enjoyed Wheeljack’s lesson. It was very hands on, pun intended, and Starscream wanted to learn every word. Grammer was pretty much the same as Tetrahex, which Starscream was nearly fluent in, but grammar wasn’t that big of a deal in this case.

“No,” Wheeljack said when Starscream tried to copy Wheeljack’s actions, “the movements are subtle. They’re like nano-expressions. You don’t want to squeeze too hard or you’ll send the wrong message. I told you, it’s the feeling.”

“So more like this?” Starscream adjusted his grip and tried again, putting less pressure into it.

“Yeah, that’s close. Ease up a little on your middle finger, and try to concentrate more on your thumb.”

Starscream tried again.

“There, perfect,” Wheeljack said, “you’ll learn how to have a whole conversation in no time. Now that’s another thing. When you’re conversing you can feel how the other person reacts. Technically only if they let you, but it's rude to hold back with this kinda speak. So if I were to do this-” Wheeljack squeezed lightly, “then I’m receptive to what you’re saying, either I’m listening or I’m agreeing. But if I were to do this-” Wheeljack squeezed again, this time making a point to digging his fingertips into the back of Starscream’s hand.

“Then I’m aggravated or getting tired of the conversation. You can see by bending my fingers away from your hand, I’m giving you a physical warning, I’m almost threatening to pull away. Does that make sense?”

Starscream nodded. “I see,” he smirked. “How much trouble would I be in if I accidentally stab someone?”

“None, happens all the time. But if you do it while doing the action I just showed you then you’re really sending a message.”

“And, what if I do this,” Starscream asked, spreading his fingers between Wheeljack’s and deepening the hand hold. When they’re fingers were locked together Starscream gently rubbed his thumb over Wheeljack’s.

“Uh-” Wheeljack stuttered. “That would be- improper form,” he said, unable to take his eyes off the hands. “I thought we were supposed to be getting subtle,” he muttered.

Starscream hummed, “we’re alone.”

“I know that, I know, I just-” despite himself Wheeljack rubbed Starscream’s thumb with his own. He took a deep vent. “This is a bad idea,” he grumbled.

“Oh, terrible,” Starscream agreed. He pulled Wheeljack forward so they were only inches away from eachother. Face to face, hand in hand. Starscream smirked. “Maybe I’m just hoping you’ll let your guard down so you’ll show me that face of yours again,” he said.

Wheeljack pushed away but didn’t separate their hands. “Oh, you are sneaky,” he said. “But we’re not done here just yet. I get one more hour, that’s what we agreed on. Then it’s your turn. Then I tell you about my face.”

Starscream pouted, “spoil sport,” he complained, “fine,” he sighed, “lets get on with it then.”

Wheeljack went on with his lesson. Starscream was a good student, but aimed to be a better teacher than Wheeljack. Not that Wheeljack was bad, certainly not as bad as Wheeljack had warned he’d be, but he wasn’t immune to tripping over his words.

Starscream liked to think of himself as a good teacher. But halfway through giving a lesson he couldn’t tell if Wheeljack was in agreement.

“Grammatical structure is stupid,” Wheeljack said. “When do I start learning words?”

“You are learning words. You’re just frustrated because you aren’t getting it.”

“I should get it. I’m a genius. It’s a language. I should just be getting it.”

Starscream scoffed, “you don’t have to be a genius to learn a new language. Besides, I warned you it was extraordinarily complex. You’re only frustrating yourself.”

“Lets just go over it one more time. But this time use examples, alright? Don’t just tell me verb, adverb, adjective or whatever. I dunno what any of that scrap means.”

Starscream rolled his eyes, “fine fine fine,” he thought for a moment, his wings flapping lightly behind him as he rubbed his chin. “Okay,” he said. “Think about it like this. In Tetrahex you would say, literally translated, ‘I know not where it is,’ right?”

Wheeljack nodded, “right.”

“Right, and in Kaonite you’d say, literally translated, ‘I do not know where it is.’ Well in Vosnian you would say, literally translated, ‘I know where, not,’ does that make sense?”

Wheeljack thought about it for a moment. “Oh,” he said, “so it’s just like Helix.”

Starscream paused. He furrowed his brow, “Helix?” he asked, almost to himself. Starscream shook his head. “Helix? Do you speak Helix?”

Wheeljack scratched at his finial, his other hand twiddling against his knee. “I- uh-” he cleared his throat, “Yeah, I do.”

“Really? I thought you spoke Tarnish, Helix doesn’t even exist anymore, who taught you?”

Wheeljack shrugged, scratching at his finial, “it’s where I’m from,” he said, refusing to meet Starscream’s eyes.

“You were-”

“listen, let's not talk about that, alright?” Wheeljack insisted.

“Oh no, we’re definitely talking about that. Tetrahex is a Tarnish territory, isn’t it? I thought that was your native tongue, are you Helix? Are you from Helix, really?”

Wheeljack rolled his eyes “Yes,” he said, finally looking at Starscream, “Alright? Yes. I’m from Helix. And no, Tetrahex is not a Tarnish territory, it’s its own state stuck in the middle of Tarn, right on the border that used to separate Tarn from Helix. It’s the last little piece of Helix that existed before Cyclonus claimed it. Okay? Can we just- get back to what we were doing?”

Starscream shook his head. “You’re telling me you could have been teaching me a lost language this entire time, and you offered Chirolinguistics? Seriously?”

“I’m not supposed to talk about it, alright? It’s a hush hush deal, which means you ain’t allowed to talk about it either.”

“Is there- are there more of your people?”

“Yeah, a few. But Starscream, you’re not listening to me-”

“I thought you were all dead.”

“Starscream,” Wheeljack said sternly, “we don’t talk about it,” he repeated. “That means not you. Not me. Not Cyclonus. We don’t talk about it. So please, just drop it.”

“How many survivors were there?”

Wheeljack growled, “Starscream, I don’t wanna talk about it,” he snapped.

Starscream was taken aback. Initially he scowled. He wanted to be mad at the outburst, and nearly was. Until he noticed how Wheeljack trembled as he moved to rub his brow. How his breaths hitched when he tried to vent. Eventually he removed his mask and scrubbed his face with his hands.

“I’m sorry,” Starscream said, frowning.

“It's fine,” Wheeljack muttered. “but can we just- get back to the lesson please?”

Starscream nodded. He scooted slightly closer and waited for Wheeljack to regain himself.

As they went on with the lesson Starscream found himself tripping over his words. He couldn't keep his eyes off the scars decorating Wheeljack's face. Eventually Wheeljack sighed and put his mask back in place.

“Better?” He asked.

Starscream gave a silent nod. He attempted to go on with the lesson. Wheeljack, despite his insistence that they continue, no longer seemed up to it. His gaze was dull and distant, not present in the moment.

Starscream stopped teaching.

“Are you alright?” He asked, already knowing the answer.

Wheeljack shook his head, “no,” he mumbled. He rubbed his brow with the ball of his head. “I’m not really feeling well.”

Starscream’s fingers rubbed against his palm, “do you- want to talk about it?” he asked, his tone betraying him.

Wheeljack looked at him, unamused. “Listen, Starscream,” he sighed.

“No no, don’t say anything. I know, I was pushy earlier, and I’m sorry. You always respect my boundaries with that sort of thing, I should respect yours.”

Wheeljack cocked a brow. “Uh- yeah,” he said slowly. “That’s- a surprising thing to hear comin’ outta yer mouth.”

Starscream put a dramatic hand to his chest. “Come on, Wheeljack, I’m not unreasonable.”

“No, not necessarily that. Just the way you said it.”

“I’ve been rehearsing that in my head for the past ten minutes.”

Wheeljack nodded, “ah. You- uh- don’t seem the type to give apologies.”

“I’m not. Save the date, that’s probably the only one you’re getting.”

That got Wheeljack to smile. Starscream smirked triumphantly at his accomplishment.

“I may have gotten a bit too- eager. To talk about the Helix massacre,” Starscream admitted.

Wheeljack retracted his mask. He rubbed the edge of the scar with his finger tip and kept his eyes off of Starscream.

“To be fair,” Wheeljack said, “I did say I’d tell you about why I wear the mask.”

“Oh, there’s no need for that. I don’t need you, I dunno, having a nightmare on me or something. Primus knows I don’t need that kind of stress in my life.”

Wheeljack shrugged. “If that’s how ya feel-”

“Just a question.”

“Yes?”

“Why didn’t you offer to teach me Helix?”

Wheeljack shrugged. “‘Cause you weren’t ever supposed to know I was from there. It’s kind’a Cyclonus’ big secret. Says it’s the only way to keep us safe or somethin’,” Wheeljack shook his head. “I dunno if I believe it, but he’s the boss. So I listen. Not like I got anything else.”

“Did any of your culture survive?”

Wheeljack tapped his head, “only up here.”

“So you follow Cyclonus’ traditions.”

“Kind of a condition for living there. He gives us protection, lets us practice our own stuff in our own homes. Everyone pretty much leaves eachother alone in my village. Cyclonus puts a lotta value on privacy. One’a his big things. But it’s good living under Cyclonus. Probably better than I’d get anywhere else.”

“How long have you been part of his clan?”

“Uhh- bout, maybe, five, six hundred years? So not long. Spent a lotta time wandering.”

“Helix was taken, what? A thousand, two thousand years ago?”

“One-thousand seven-hundred and seventy-two years. About. Long time.”

“Yeah,” Starscream said slowly.

For a long time they sat in silence. Eventually Wheeljack took a deep vent and moved to stand.

“It’s gettin’ kinda late,” he said, stretching when he was fully standing. “We should probably head back soon.”

Starscream hummed, “I think I’ll stay out here for a while. After that fight earlier, I don’t really feel like sleeping in the same hut as my brother.”

Wheeljack pursed his lip and shrugged. “Understandable,” he said. For a moment Wheeljack looked around their space, trying to concentrate on anything but Starscream.

Eventually he sat back down.

“If I'm bein’ honest I don't know how well I'm gonna sleep tonight,” Wheeljack said, grunting as he reclaimed his seat. “So I may as well stick around. If ya don’t mind.”

“Be my guest,” Starscream grumbled. He picked at his talons in his lap. “I don't know either. How well I’m going to sleep.”

“You wanna talk anymore about what happened earlier? Or- Seeker culture maybe.”

Starscream shook his head. “I think that's the last thing I want to talk about right now.”

Wheeljack nodded wide, “yeah, I can imagine.”

Wheeljack picked at the grass under his leg. It was silent for a while, neither inclined to speak. It was peaceful. Comfortable.

Starscream scooted a little closer. Wheeljack copied him. In another twenty minutes Starscream would move closer again. And Wheeljack would copy him again.

They went on like that until their sides were flush together. Neither acknowledged the warmth at their hip, and neither acted any further. Together they stared out over the pool, only every once in a while murmuring back and forth before giving into the silence.

When Wheeljack found his head getting heavier he let it rest on Starscream's shoulder. Starscream let him. And in turn laid his head upon Wheeljack's.

 

* * *

 

 

“He’s not here,” Sunstorm said, still nursing the wound on his cheek with a cold stone.

“Do you know when he’ll return?” Optimus asked, “I don’t want to waste a moment.”

“I don’t know when he’ll be back,” it was too early in the morning for Sunstorm to be dealing with this, “I don’t even know where he is. He snuck off last night and hasn’t been back.”

Optimus furrowed his brow, “snuck off?”

“He does that. Just wait at your hut, or go hunting, or- rolling around in dirt, whatever you grounders do. I’ll send for you when he arrives. Or I’ll send him to you, whatever I manage first.”

Optimus nodded, “yes,” he said slowly, “I would appreciate that.”

Sunstorm let the curtain fall aside, leaving Optimus alone at the doorstep. Optimus returned to Prowl, waiting at the edge of Seeker territory.

“Well?”

Optimus shook his head, “he’s not here.”

“And?”

“He didn’t know when he’d be back.”

“And if he doesn’t come back?”

“Do you suggest we go looking for him?”

“I wouldn’t discourage it.”

Optimus shook his head, brushing past Prowl.

“No,” Optimus said, “from the way it sounds, he wanted to be alone.”

“He’s had his time alone. This is his time with you. That’s what you agreed on.”

Optimus looked over his shoulder, “but what Jazz said last night-”

“Has he asked you to give up your day so he can be with his Seekers?”

“Well, no-”

“Then what Jazz said last night is irrelevant. If he wanted to spend time with his people he’d be with his people. Not galavanting around who knows where.”

Optimus shrugged, “I wouldn’t even know where to look.”

Prowl pointed to the sky, “why not start there?”

Optimus looked to the sky. The moment he did he could feel this pursuit was useless.

 

* * *

 

 

“Have you seen Wheeljack this morning?” Skyfire asked.

“No. I think he snuck away last night.”

“Last night?”

“It seems whatever happened yesterday really upset him.”

“Do you think we should talk to him when he gets back?”

“Only if he wants to.”

Skyfire pouted slightly but didn’t comment. Ratchet was never one to press. Skyfire couldn’t say he was very pushy either, but he would press in certain situations. Wheeljack was a friend, and Skyfire was well aware of the states he often found himself in.

Before Skyfire could turn to leave the hut Wheeljack came through the doorway.

“Wheeljack,” Skyfire exclaimed, “where have you been? You missed the meal this morning,”

Wheeljack scratched at his finial, “yeah, sorry,” he grumbled, “I went out- uh,” he itched his chin. “I went out to gather. Those little crayfish, they live in the mercury pool over there.”

Skyfire looked Wheeljack up and down.

“Where are they?”

“What?”

Ratchet sat up, “the crayfish. You don’t have any.”

“Oh. That’s because I- didn’t catch any.”

Ratchet huffed, “this is why we don’t send you to gather,” he muttered, crossing his arms. “There’s fish in the hole,” he said, “if you’re hungry.”

“Save me the eye?”

“Not on your life.”

“You guys are mean.”

Wheeljack uncovered the storage space and took a parcel of fish from the remaining carcass. He sat on his cot and ate it cold as he read through the courting rules.

Both Skyfire and Ratchet looked at him. Then looked at eachother. Then back to him.

“Wheeljack,” Skyfire said. “What are you doing?”

Wheeljack seemed surprised he was being addressed. He looked between his companions.

“What’s everybody looking at? Do I got something on my face?”

“You’re reading the rules,” Ratchet said. He narrowed his eyes. “What are you up to?”

“Up to, me?” Wheeljack said, pointing to himself. “I’m- nothin’ I’m just lookin’ over the rules. Gotta make sure I got this down hat, ya know? Don’t wanna go off...breakin any a’ these-uh- heh- any’a these rules.”

Ratchet and Skyfire exchanged a glance again.

“Wheeljack,” Ratchet said. “Is there something you want to tell us?”

Wheeljack scratched his head. Skyfire sat down on his cot so he wasn’t looming.

“Does this have something to do with last night?” he asked, “you were acting sort of weird.”

Wheeljack shook his head, “I-” he quickly shut his mouth. “Yeah. It does. You guys know me, I get friendly with people. I might’ve-” Wheeljack feigned sheepishness, “touched the intended without his permission.”

Both Skyfire and Ratchet groaned.

“You’ve got to be kidding,” Ratchet said, rubbing his ever aching brow. “What did he say, did anyone do anything?”

Wheeljack shook his head. “No. No, it just made me nervous, ya know? So I thought I’d look over the rules. That's not a rule in Seeker culture. They told me that.”

Ratchet shook his head. “That doesn't matter. Did the other courters see you do it? Do you have any idea what could happen-”

“They didn't. I was in the communal hut with Starscream-”

“You were alone!?”

“Communal. Ratchet. Where all the Seekers gather. We were not anywhere near alone.”

Ratchet sighed with relief, practically clutching his chest.

“Just be more careful next time,” Skyfire advised. “We can't be taking any risks. You know what's at stake here-”

“I know,” Wheeljack said. He held up the scroll. “why you think I'm doin this? It won't happen again, alright? I promise.”

Ratchet scowled, “it better not. It's about time you started taking your responsibility seriously.”

Wheeljack scowled back. “I do take my responsibility seriously. And I ain't gonna have this argument again,” he turned his attention to Skyfire, “Starscream told us not to tell you what happened last night. Not any of it. That's why I wouldn't talk. All you gotta do, Skyfire, is follow my lead. He was the Wing Lord, a clan leader he's used to being respected and listened to,” he shook his head, “that hasn't been the case in recent years. So my initial advice still stands. Just keep doin’ what yer doin’.”

Skyfire nodded, “but are you sure it's enough.”

“He wants people to be real,” Wheeljack patted Skyfires shoulder, “you're the realest bot I know. Not to mention the worst actor.”

Skyfire smiled. He pushed Wheeljack over as he stood up.

“I'm going to collect samples,” Skyfire said. “I should be back before the mid-day meal.”

Skyfire was gone for a long time before Ratchet and Wheeljack realized when he’d be back.

“Hey,” Wheeljack said, “is either of us gonna go hunting?”

“If you can hunt as well as you gather-”

“I’m just gonna go trap a few rabbits,” Wheeljack said, climbing off his cot.

Ratchet rolled his eyes. “Don’t waste your energy. Just take the fish Skyfire caught yesterday and see if you can trade it with someone in the village.”

“No one’s gonna want yesterday's fish. I’ll catch a rabbit, it’ll be fine.”

“You’re going to hurt yourself.”

Wheeljack grabbed the rabbit trap from beside the door. “I’m not listening to you.”

“Fine. Just don’t expect me to be your medic when you come limping back here.”

Wheeljack chuckled at his companion. “You’re funny.”

As soon as Wheeljack stepped out of the hut he came face to face with Jazz, nearly walking into him.

“Oh,” Wheeljack said, “Jazz. You-” he looked around for any other familiar faces. “Do you need something?”

Jazz smiled. Wheeljack found it unsettling.

“I was just hopin’ you and I could have a little chat,” Jazz said. He glanced briefly at the trap in Wheeljack’s hand and lifted a brow. “Hunting rabbits?”

Wheeljack’s eyes darted to the side, “Uh- yeah. We’re kinda runnin’ low on food,” he gave a half hearted shrug, “Gettin’ tired’a fish,” Wheeljack tried a smile, but settled for smiling with his eyes. He laughed nervously. Jazz just stared at him.

Wheeljack’s fingers fiddled against the trap. “Well,” he said, forcing a smile again. “I should probably get goin’, not a lotta daylight left, sort of overslept, you understand-” Wheeljack tried to slip past Jazz but was quickly caught by the arm. Before Wheeljack could react he was spun around. Jazz laid a stiff arm over his shoulders and walked them away from the hut.

“You don’t really seem the hunting type, sci-guy,” Jazz smiled. “Let’s say I help you out. Got some things I’ve been meaning to ask you about, we can multi-task.”

Wheeljack scratched at his finial, finding he had no choice but to walk. “Ya know, maybe we should do that another time, I hear talkin’ ain’t the best thing to be doin’ while rabbit hunting.”

Jazz shook his head, sticky smile still on his face.

“It sure isn’t.”


	9. The Chat

“I apologize for being late this morning Optimus,” Starscream said, walking beside him as they took a turn about the village. “I was- out a bit late last night.”

“No need to explain, Starscream, it’s fine,” Optimus assured, “I understand the need for a moment away. Especially under such circumstances.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Starscream smirked. “Now, what have you got to impress me today?”

“I was hoping I could introduce you to some of my culture. Since you would be living among us, among my people, I thought it might be good for the both of us.”

Starscream flicked a bit of dirt off his talon, “sure,” he said. “Show me your ways Optimus Prime.”

“I think I should make clear. I don’t mean to impede upon your own culture.”

Starscream’s eye roll only made it halfway before he re-through the gesture. “Yes, I am sure you don’t.”

“I’m serious.”

Starscream snorted. “Optimus Prime, I’m sure your intentions are well, and I mean no disrespect to your culture. But you-” Starscream briefly looked Optimus up and down. “Land vehicles- tend to have a different view on what displaying and forcing are.”

Optimus stopped in his tracks, forcing Starscream to stop with him.

“Starscream, I assure you, I and my people have no intention of trying to reduce Seeker culture and force you into our own.”

“Oh yeah?” Starscream said, poking Optimus in the chest, “And how could you possibly guarantee that?”

“I am a Chief. As my mate you and I would be on equal footing. I could not order you or your seekers to do or be anything. And neither could anyone else.”

Starscream’s hand dropped with his scowl. He put his hands on his hips and sized Optimus up again. After a moment he smirked. “Oh, you are sneaky,” he purred. Starscream started off again. “Alright,” he said. “Lets see this culture of yours.”

Together they made their way across the village to the guest huts. The first thing Starscream noticed was the door cover. The curtain was not the animal skin that was there originally, but some other material Starscream couldn’t quite place. He felt it in his hand and rubbed it between his fingers.

“A fabric,” Optimus said, pulling the curtain aside and urging Starscream to walk through, “It’s from my- uh- clan. We make it.”

Starscream made a non-commital noise as he entered the hut. The fire was still slightly aglo from the morning, and the cots were messed. Starscream noticed the sheets and pillows that covered them and found himself curious. Without being invited to Starscream took a seat on one of the cots and ran his hand over the fabric. It was soft and smooth, but warm.

“What is this stuff?” Starscream asked, picking part of the blanket off the bed and putting it in his lap.

Optimus took a seat beside him, “It’s made of plants,” he said, “And a thread produced by worms. It is very strong, but it’s beautiful isn’t it?”

Starscream shrugged, picked at the blanket with his talons. “It’s certainly something.”

“You’ll find many great luxuries such as this where I come from. My nation-”

“Nation?” Starscream snorted a laugh. He shook his head, “So full of yourself.” he grumbled, shoving the blanket off his lap. “Calling your clan a nation.”

“That’s what it’s taken to calling itself. I am- I see over many clans. They all see me as their leader.”

Starscream barked a humorless laugh, “So what does that make you, a king?”

Optimus’ hands fiddled in his lap. He nodded, “Yes,” he said. “It does.”

Starscream’s smile disappeared. Then immediatly reappeared. He laughed, and kept laughing, so hard tears streamed from his optics. Starscream gripped his sides and collapsed sideway off the cot. On the floor he continued laughing.

“Starscream,” Optimus groaned, “I’m being serious.”

Starscream slapped a hand on the cot and hauled himself off the floor, still wiping tears out of his eyes.

“Sure, sure,” he chuckled, trying to control himself. “You’re telling me that a dirt pounding king came to this hoval to ask for the hand of a Seeker?” Despite himself Starscream toppled over laughing again. Optimus just sighed.

It was about three minutes before Starscream calmed himself entirely and returned to the cot.

“Are you finished?” asked Optimus.

“Yes- hehe- yes yes I’m finished. Now, what were you saying about being a king?”

“I have- taken- to calling myself a king. Forty two clans live peacefully under my collected rule. My land is rich with copper, rhodium, platinum, all trading tools. We have streams filled with fish, farmable land. And space. Plenty of space for your Seekers. Villages, co-ops, we are thriving Starscream-” Optimus glanced at Starscream’s hands. He gestured with his own. “May I?”

Starscream offered his hand. Optimus gently cupped it between his own.

“Nothing would please me more than to be able to share that with you, Starscream. Together Megatron and I and you. We could unite the nations.”

Starscream pulled his hand out of Optimus’ grip and wiped it on the blanket.

“Yes, well,” Starscream cleared his throat, he looked around the space in search of something to grab onto and distract himself with. He settled on a small berthside painting of a group of mechs. “That’s all well and fine. But I doubt Megatron would approve of the idea of living under anyone else. This is supposed to be an alliance, after all,” Starscream waved his hands around, “that is what all this nonsense is about.”

“Megatron has his own nation. He chooses to live with less, but is perfectly capable of building himself a castle. Just as capable as myself.”

Starscream huffed, “Oh now you’re going to tell me you’ve got a castle waiting for you back home.”

“A castle is being erected, Starscream.”

Starscream seemed to freeze. He shoved the picture in Optimus’ chest and stood up.

“I don’t much like castles,” Starscream said. “And I don’t think my Seekers would appreciate that sort of thing. Being confined to stone walls.”

Optimus shook his head as he stood. “I would never force your Seekers into a space like that. They would be free to settle wherever they like in my territory. And I would ensure that nobody ever bothered them. If that’s what you want. As my mate, Starscream, your word would be law.”

“My word is already law,” Starscream uttered to himself, pulling at his fingers.

“Whatever you want you will have,” Optimus promised, reaching a hand out to Starscream.

“But there are conditions aren’t there?”

Optimus hand curled into a loose fist, “there would be- No.”

“No, but there would be, wouldn’t there?” Starscream turned around. “I would be the king’s mate. Another king? Or just a mate? A lord? What? I know how the outside world works, Optimus. I’ve seen kings,” he took a few steps forward so he and Optimus were mere inches away from eachother.

“I would have to stand there and look nice. Host parties. Make heirs. Stand next to you and wave. Confined to that lovely castle of yours.”

Optimus would not meet Starscream’s gaze.

Starscream scowled. “I know what Jazz has been telling you. What he must have told you about last night. What he’s told you all this time.”

Optimus finally looked at Starscream.

“Starscream, please-”

“No-”

“If you wanted to stay behind the scenes-”

“Stop it Optimus,” Starscream cut a hand through the air, “I don’t want to hear another word of it,” he turned on a heel and stalked towards the door. “Jazz thinks I need sparklings, thinks you can get to me through my Seekers,” Starscream stopped in the entrance, hand holding the curtain aside. Starscream stopped short, his grip tightening on the curtain.

“Well, he's right,” Starscream said quietly, not nearly loud enough for Optimus to hear. As Starscream made his exist he tugged the curtain from the door and left it to the ground.

 

* * *

 

“So Starscream got home pretty late this morning,” Jazz said, his tone even but suggestive. “got anything to say about that?”

“Ya know, Jazz, I knew yer tryin’ real hard to intimidate me, but yer really gonna have to do better than that,” Wheeljack whispered.

Jazz smiled. “Intimidate you? Now why in the world would I do that?”

“Because you and Swoop have noticed that Starscream likes me more than the two’a you. And that worries you,” Wheeljack shrugged. “Who knows, maybe it even intimidates you.”

“So you admit that you and Starscream are gettin’ a little buddy buddy. Any chance you know where he went last night?”

“Ey, I ain’t gettin’ buddy buddy with anyone. I don’t know where Starscream was last night. Soon as I got back to my hut I went to bed.”

“Sure you did.”

“Listen, I don’t know why Starscream chose me to latch onto,” Wheeljack lifted his brows. “Maybe got somethin’ to do with the fact I’m just ‘bout the only one who listens to him. I mean, I went to bed because I didn’t stay up tellin’ Skyfire about everything that happened last night. Ya know, like Starscream asked us to.”

Jazz chuckled. “You sure are full of yourself.”

“Ey, yo, listen, if yer gonna intimidate me can you please do it quietly? I’m tryin’a hunt rabbits here. Since you don’t seem familiar with that concept, let me explain it to you. You shut up. And the rabbit comes to the trap. Alright?”

Jazz shook his head, still smiling. “You’re really bad at this.”

“I am well aware that I’m really bad at this.”

“You must be the most useless guy in your village.”

“I am the most useless guy in my village.”

“Alright, if you aren’t gettin’ buddy buddy with Scream, then what happened on you and Sunstorm’s outing?” Jazz was finally getting closer to a whisper.

“Sunstorm and Starscream fought in a mud pit while I gathered nuggets.”

Jazz barked a quiet laugh. “Are you serious?”

Wheeljack nodded. “Yup. They fought for almost an hour.”

“Ha. Now see, I would believe that.”

“You should. It’s true.”

“I’m sure that was a sight,” Jazz smirked. “Probably-”

“Hold whatever lewd thought yer bouta spew, we got movement.”

A petro-rabbit emerged from the bush and hopped right into the trap. As soon as it was in place Wheeljack snagged it. The wire snapped its neck, killing it instantly. Wheeljack brought it in, placed it in the sack, and reset the trap.

“They should really make an automatic trap,” Wheeljack said. “It wouldn’t be hard. Just a spring trigger, then I wouldn’t have to sit here all day to pull the wire.”

“You could always use a tripwire.”

“I can’t use a tripwire out here,” Wheeljack said. “Tripwire,” he muttered, shaking his head. “So primitive.’

“Man, you are hunting rabbits in the middle of a field by hand. Who you callin’ primitive.”

“Not you necessarily. The idea of a trip wire. A spring release mechanism would be much more efficient. Here-” Wheeljack handed the trap wire to Jazz. Wheeljack sat cross legged on the ground and whipped out a datanote. A few other things came toppling out of his sub-space with it but Wheeljack ignored that.

Jazz looked down at him. “What the heck are you doing?”

“Shh, tryin’a think.”

“What are you-”

“Shush.”

Jazz rolled his eyes and shook his head. He waited with the trap until Wheeljack sprung to his feet.

“Okay, I got it,” he said. Wheeljack’s stepped through the tall grass and activated the trap with his hand and tugged it out of Jazz’s grip.

“Okay, okay, okay,” Wheeljack muttered to himself, pulling stuff out of his sub-space as he walked. “Need this, need this- oh, definitely need that, and-” Wheeljack measured his finger, snipped some wire from his subspace, and sat himself down at the foot of a tree.

“Have you lost it?” Jazz asked.

“Nuh uh. You’d know if I’d lost it. It’d be a lot messier than this.”

Jazz just furrowed his brow. He shook his head. “You guys really are out of it.”

“Yup.”

Wheeljack whipped up a spring triggered trap made out of scrap metal and a handmade spring forged with the help of a tree branch and an old wheel.

“Now, this is just a prototype, so it’ll probably only work once, but-” Wheeljack anchored his creation to the ground. "It should catch a rabbit."

Jazz shook his head. “There is no way this stupid looking thing is going to work.”

“When the two halves snap together that should kill it instantly. Hopefully. If it doesn’t you’ll have to do it.”

“Heh, what makes you think I’ll do it for you?”

Wheeljack shrugged, “dunno. Maybe cause you don’t wanna look like the most useless guy in the village.”

Jazz shut his mouth but kept on his smile. “Alright, smart guy, I’ll bet you half my catch for a month this little invention of yours doesn’t work.”

“Oo, puttin’ my money on something that will definitely work?” Wheeljack offered his hand to shake, “I’ll take you on it,”

Jazz shook the hand. When he had Wheeljack in his grasp he pulled him forward and spoke in his ear.

“And if it doesn’t work then you tell me the truth. And you tell me what I wanna know. Understand?”

“Oh, Jazz, I thought this valuable bonding moment had gotten us past this futile attempt at intimidation.”

Jazz shook his head. “Oh, Mr. Inventive, you do not wanna play this game with me. I can make your life very very difficult." 

“I’ll take ya deal, Jazz. You’re gonna have to work on your threats, though. Bit too vague for my taste.”

“Lets just see how this works out for you.”

They drew away from eachother. They walked away from the trap and took to gathering in silence. Wheeljack was as good at it as he always was. Every few minutes Jazz would glance at him. Wheeljack ignored the glances. Scratched his finials, itched his nose, pretended he didn’t notice.

It was about forty minutes later when they heard a null boom. Wheeljack and Jazz shuffled through the brush back to the trap. They found a dead petro rabbit and the remnants of a small explosion.

“Huh,” Wheeljack said, collecting the rabbit. He scratched his head and looked at the mess. “That’s weird.”

After a moment he shrugged. “But-,” he pointed to Jazz, “Never said it couldn’t explode. And I got a dead rabbit. So it appears that I’ve won. And you owe me a lotta meat.”

Jazz wrapped his arm around Wheeljack’s shoulder again.

“Or,” Jazz said, poking Wheeljack in the chest. “I keep my meat. And you give me what I want anyways. Sound like a deal?”

Wheeljack rolled his eyes. He easily slipped out of Jazz’s grip and came to stand in front of the taller bot. Wheeljack put both hands on Jazz’s shoulders and shook his head.

“Jazz look. I can tell yer really tryin’ here, but listen,” Wheeljack lowered his voice to a harsh whisper. “It takes a lot to intimidate me,” he retracted his mask, looking Jazz straight in the eye, “And I ain’t scared’a you.”

Jazz’s mouth fell open but immediately closed. Wheeljack patted his cheek, “better luck next time.”

Wheeljack turned on a heel and started walking away, “I expect my meat in the morning.”

Jazz watched him for a moment. The way he sauntered away, a bag full of rabbits over his shoulder like he was king of the world. Jazz shook off the shock and gave chase.

“Hold on,” he called. “You didn’t give a scrap all this time?”

Wheeljack shook his head. “Nope.”

“Then why did you let me come out here with you?”

“I needed help hunting rabbits,” Wheeljack shrugged. “Which you were pretty useless with, actually.”

“You gotta be kidding me.”

“To be fair, as soon as we got out here I told you I didn’t care about your intimidation tactics. You were too confident to believe me I guess.”

“I thought you were just playing cool.”

“Oh,” Wheeljack chuckled, “No, I am absolutely terrible at playing it cool. The worst, to be honest.

Jazz looked Wheeljack up and down. “Uh huh,” he grumbled.

“Pretty good actor, though. Terrible liar, weirdly enough. I will admit, you freaked me out when you were standin’ right outside the hut. That was a good one.”

Jazz nodded thoughtfully. “You really are that full of yourself, aren’t you?”

“I’m only ‘bout as full as I am tall-” Wheeljack stopped and turned to look at Jazz. Wheeljack waved a hand over his own head. “So pretty tall, see?” he turned back and kept walking. “I can almost reach my hand.”

Jazz laughed despite himself. He took stride beside Wheeljack and together they started back towards the village.

“Looks like you've seen some nasty scrap,” Jazz commented, his eyes falling to the scars on Wheeljack's face.

Wheeljack briefly lifted a hand to touch them but quickly pulled away.

“I've seen shit you can't even conceive. And the nation I come from is touching Galvatron's,” Wheeljack shrugged a shoulder. “When you live in fear like that you sort of- stop being afraid.”

“Can I ask about the scars?”

“I'd prefer you not.”

“You know, I like you Wheeljack.”

“That makes three.”

“And I respect you as my opponent.”

“I do not believe that.”

“And I can see why Starscream likes you.”

Wheeljack didn't respond to that. Jazz, fortunately, was kind enough to answer Wheeljack's silent question.

“You're charming,” Jazz said. “and funny. And a little out of it.”

“Very out of it,” Wheeljack muttered.

“And you're obviously not originally from Tetrahex.”

Wheeljack stiffened but quickly relaxed.

“How astute of you,” he said sarcastically, “figuring out the guy from Tetrahex isn't originally from Tetrahex.”

Jazz laughed. “fair enough. You seem like a late edition I mean.”

“I don't think I seem like anything. Tetrahexians come from all over the planet, there's no set way to be.”

“I don't know what I don't know then, that what you're saying?”

“Essentially, yes. Listen, Jazz, the people of Tetrahex- it's a big mixed bag of-” Wheeljack thought about his next word. “pieces,” he said, “All these different pieces of all these different clans and families living together peacefully. It's- it's a sanctuary. It's a good place. A safe place, and it's in danger. I know you know that,” Wheeljack shook his head, “I know what people say, but Cyclonus is a good mech. I have my reasons for being here. Just like everyone else.”

Jazz wasn't smiling then. He sighed.

“You don't seem like a bad guy, Wheeljack,” he shook his head. “and I hate to do it to ya. But like you said, we all got our reasons for being here. And I intend to win, understand? It's not anything against you or your people. But Optimus and Megatron need this alliance.”

“Jazz, if you can respect me then I am more than willing to respect you.”

Jazz patted Wheeljack's back.

“Good luck to you then,” Jazz said.

“Yeah, you too.”

By then they had reached the edge if the village. They went their separate ways. Jazz ran off to find Optimus while Wheeljack made his way back to the hut. The sun was just beginning to dip and the fires were being lit. Wheeljack slipped silently into his hut, handed the rabbits off to Ratchet, and went to bed.

 

* * *

 

“So he brings me to his hut and he's all ‘I’ve got so many resources, and a bunch of metal and fish and blah blah blah blah blah,” Starscream groused, smacking the the tall grass with a stick as he paced back and forth on the shore. “I'm pretty sure Jazz told Optimus about last night, too. Like he told him about what he heard when he eavesdropped, and what he heard Sunstorm talking about,” Starscream stiffened and clenched his fists. “Ugh. It's just so frustrating. These stupid grounders, no offense, have they never heard of respect, or moral, or- or- any of those other honorable words I can't think of right now?”

Wheeljack shrugged where he was seated on the ground. “I think Jazz is just desperate,” he said, “spent a lot of time with him today. Seems there's a lot riding on the alliance between Optimus and Megatron.”

Starscream scoffed. “Optimus has gotten it in his head that somehow their alliance will make the world a better place,” he looked at Wheeljack, “if Megatron gets ahold of anything bigger than he already has, say your prayers. Megatron, given enough power, could go up against Galvatron and win.”

“That's saying something.”

“It's true, and Wheeljack,” Starscream pointed to himself. “I'm terrified of that. Yes, that's right, I said terrified. Optimus makes a lot of promises. But they all become null and void the moment he gets his head stuck in the dirt,” Starscream discarded the stick in the water but kept pacing, “but If I don't bond with Optimus then I know, I am absolutely sure, that my people are the first ones Megatron will send to war when he gets the chance.”

Wheeljack shook his head. “I don't believe that.”

“What would you know,” Starscream sneered.

“I know that the Seekers are an extraordinarily valuable asset that Megatron wouldn't risk losing so quickly.”

“Exactly. They're extraordinarily good to have because they're extraordinarily good at what they do. If Megatron sent in a small army of Seekers first it's not unlikely the battle would be won and he won't have to waste any of his own people's lives to win it.”

Wheeljack nodded. “I see now. So he'd just keep sending small brigades into battles until there was no one else to send.”

“That's exactly what he'd do. I'm sure of it.”

Starscream huffed, finally stopping in his pacing. He plopped down next to Wheeljack and leaned against him.

Starscream shook his head. “this is never what I wanted, Wheeljack.”

Wheeljack crossed his legs so his knee rested against Starscream's.

“I know,” he muttered, pressing back. 

Starscream smiled. “no falling asleep,” he said, nudging Wheeljack with his head. “we don't want a repeat of this morning.”

“Oh,” Wheeljack scrubbed his brow. “don't remind me. Jazz tried to give me the business this morning.”

Starscream chuckled, “that's not a surprise. He likes to talk big, but he's not scary. What did he do?”

“Certainly don't scare me,” Wheeljack muttered. “Came to my hut. Disrupted my rabbit hunting. Put an arm around my neck and told me some scrap. Nothing big. I think we're friends now actually,” Wheeljack scratched his final, thinking hard. “I think,” he muttered to himself again. He looked at Starscream. “Ya know, we're really bad at being subtle.”

Starscream smiled. “We'll get better with practice.”

It was silent for a long moment. Starscream picked absently at his talons, “It was- nice though,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “waking up like that.”

“Yeah,” Wheeljack vented. “it was kinda nice.”

“Warm…safe.”

“I wouldn't advocate falling asleep,” Wheeljack muttered. “but- uh-” he scratched at his finial. “If ya wanted to- do it again, ya know-”

Wheeljack never got to finish the thought. Starscream put a gentle hand on Wheeljack's shoulder and eased him back into the grass. Starscream laid down beside him. He placed his head on Wheeljack's shoulder, one hand finding purchase at the edge if Wheeljack's chest while the other poised itself on his side.

Wheeljack rolled over so they were face to face. Initially Starscream groaned with protest, but quickly took to this new position.

Starscream closed his eyes and nuzzled into Wheeljack's neck as Wheeljack held him around the waist and pulled him closer.

“This is a bad idea,” Wheeljack said once they were settled. Despite what he said Wheeljack gladly accepted Starscream's nuzzling, even lifting his chin slightly to accommodate it.

“Just don't think about it,” Starscream whispered.

Wheeljack squeezed. “hard not to.”

For a long time they laid in silence, only their vents between them. Starscream's talons tickled Wheeljack's back. Wheeljack's rough fingertips pressed gently into Starscream's plating. Starscream sighed, all the tension leaving his body.

“Seriously, don't fall asleep,” Wheeljack said.

Starscream smirked.

“No promises.”


End file.
